A Raleigh man hired through the pet-sitting app Rover is facing a felony animal cruelty charge after a French bulldog named Neeko died following what a warrant describes as being left caged outside during a punishing June heat wave. Amoni Baloubi appeared before Judge Mark Stevens in a Wake County courtroom, where the judge ordered that Baloubi may not have any pets other than the backyard chickens he already keeps.
According to CBS17.com, police say the alleged crime happened in June 2026, when Raleigh saw a heat wave stretch across several days and the National Weather Service recorded a high of 90 degrees on June 15. Per the warrant, that is the day Baloubi allegedly left Neeko, a French bulldog, caged outside in the extreme heat. The dog died as a result, according to the station’s reporting.
Baloubi was charged with felony cruelty to animals, a Class H felony under state law, and his attorney, Tyler Ellenberg, told the outlet that Baloubi used Rover for dog and cat sitting work. Both Baloubi and Ellenberg declined to speak with the station after the court appearance. CBS17.com reported that its journalists heard at least one dog barking inside the address listed for Baloubi, though no further detail on that animal was provided.
What North Carolina Law Requires to Prove the Felony
Under North Carolina General Statutes ยง 14-360, maliciously killing an animal or causing its death through intentional deprivation of necessary sustenance is classified as a Class H felony, according to the North Carolina General Assembly. That statute requires proof of malice, a higher bar than simple negligence, which is likely to become a central issue as the case moves through Wake County court. The felony charge carries a maximum punishment of up to 39 months in prison, though North Carolina’s structured sentencing guidelines, as detailed by Patrick Roberts Law, allow judges to hand first-time offenders community or intermediate punishments such as probation instead…