CHICAGO — A doctor formerly living in Lincoln Park was sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty Thursday to aggravated animal cruelty — a case that’s drawn sharp condemnation from local animal welfare advocates.
Anita Damodaran, 38, entered her guilty plea before Judge Shelley Sutker-Dermer, who approved a deal allowing her to serve probation out of state in Florida, where she now resides. The plea deal also opens the door for Damodaran to have the case expunged from her record if she completes probation successfully.
“She can expunge it. Erase it. Like Betty never existed. Like the horror never happened,” said the Garrido Stray Rescue Foundation in a Facebook post following the verdict.
Dog Named ‘Betty’ Found Emaciated and Trapped in a Sealed Container
The case began earlier this year when Damodaran was being evicted from her Lincoln Park apartment. Workers hired to clean the property were instructed not to disturb three plastic bins on the back porch. But curiosity and concern led two women to investigate further.
What they found was harrowing: a malnourished black dog, later named Betty, barely alive inside a container with crates stacked on top. According to the Hinsdale Humane Society, the dog was:
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Covered in compression wounds and fecal matter
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Extremely underweight, at just 19 pounds — less than half her healthy weight
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So matted and dehydrated she couldn’t move
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Left for what was estimated to be at least one month
Miraculously, Betty survived because a small hole in the bin’s lid allowed just enough oxygen to enter.
“Justice Was Not Served,” Say Advocates
Animal advocates were present in court and expected a more serious sentence. In their own words:
“We held our breath… Instead, we watched Doctor Anita Damodaran walk away with less than a slap on the wrist,” wrote the Garrido Stray Rescue Foundation.
The organization expressed deep frustration that the charge, while serious, resulted in no jail time and could be erased from Damodaran’s criminal record.
Betty has since made a full recovery and now lives with a new family. The rescue community says she’s “finally living the life she deserves.”
Do you think justice was served in this case? Should harsher penalties exist for those convicted of aggravated animal cruelty?
Join the discussion and follow the latest on animal welfare legislation, court decisions, and community efforts to protect vulnerable animals at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
