A Stratford woman accused of severely neglecting her dog made her first court appearance Friday afternoon. 

Beatrice Foust, 48, was arrested earlier this month after Animal Control found her dog, Sergio, emaciated and riddled with infections.

Animal Control Supervisor Rachel Solveira told News 12 that the silky terrier was in a neighbor’s backyard unable to walk.

“He was missing a lot of fur. He had a really bad flea infestation. He was extremely thin to the point of being emaciated, and he also had nails that had grown so long that they had curled over into several spirals,” says Solveira.

News 12 reported that a trip to the vet found Sergio was dehydrated, malnourished and riddled with infections. Blood tests indicated long-term starvation and X-rays of his feet showed that each of his toes were broken. He was eventually euthanized due to the extent of his injuries. 

Sergio was microchipped, which led to the arrest of Foust.   

In court, the judge pushed Foust's arraignment to next month because she didn't have an attorney yet. He also agreed to appoint an attorney to act as a legal advocate for Sergio. Foust is set to be back in court on Nov. 24.

Peggy Miller, a member of Desmond's Army Animal Law Advocates, was one of nearly a dozen who showed up outside the courthouse in support of Sergio.

“I'm here today because of the heinous nature of this level of cruelty,” she said. “This didn't just happen. This is an extended case of abuse and cruelty.”