ISU prof’s treatment of dogs under fire

A September 3rd court date’s set for an Iowa State University professor charged with animal neglect. During his preliminary court hearing on that charge, officers outside the courthouse found Joseph Viles had two dogs locked in his car suffering in the summer heat, and Viles now faces more charges. Daniel Rothman, the assistant Story County attorney handling the case, says while the charge is “animal neglect,” the crime can include actions like striking your pet or putting it down in an inappropriatemanner. Rothman often handles cases in which young people fail to properly house or care for pets in Ames, a college town. But this case has drawn attention because Viles is a professor of zoology. Rothman doesn’t know if a judge will forbid the prof to own dogs because of the neglect charges. He says if you put someone on probation, you can link that to conditions like not owning dogs, at least within your own jurisdiction. He’s not sure Viles could be prevented from owning pets if he moved anywhere else in the world. Viles has entered a not-guilty plea to the latest charges, and will appear in court on the earlier charge September 3rd.