A woman living in a homeless camp in Wildwood has been arrested on a felony animal cruelty charge after her dog, Rocky, had to be euthanized due to severe heat exposure.
The tragic incident unfolded on the morning of June 16, when Wildwood police officers approached 45-year-old Rebecca June Foxworth and a male companion at their makeshift campsite in the city right-of-way near Lake Street and Rice Street. Officers instructed the pair to clean up the camp and remove their belongings.
During the interaction, Foxworth told officers she no longer wanted her black dog, Rocky, claiming the animal had become aggressive. To keep the dog out of the way during the cleanup, an officer suggested temporarily tying Rocky across the street, explicitly noting this was meant to be a short-term solution while they worked. Officers also provided Foxworth with information on how to properly surrender the dog to Animal Control.
However, when officers returned to the area that afternoon, they found Rocky suffering from a severe medical emergency. The dog was panting heavily, lethargic, and showing clear signs of heatstroke…