A Veterinarian Was Just Charged With Stealing A Homeless Man’s Dog
Dr. Amanda Hergenreder, a licensed veterinarian in Michigan who services both small animals and equine, has been charged with misdemeanor larceny under $200 after allegedly stealing a homeless man’s dog. She argues that she was rescuing the canine, which was “obviously not being well taken care of.”
The incident occurred in November 2024 when Amanda was attending a conference in Grand Rapids. While getting coffee at Biggby, she reportedly spotted the dog, a brown pit bull mix, behind a business, where it was tied to the back of a truck.
“There’s no food, no water, no shelter. Nobody’s nearby. This obviously isn’t a home. It’s a parking lot, and he’s tied up, not even with a leash. He’s got this frayed rope that’s just tied to the hitch. Obviously not being well taken care of,” Amanda recalled.
Some of her colleagues inquired about the dog at Biggby. The coffee shop’s employees reportedly confirmed the dog belonged to a homeless man, 57-year-old Chris Hamilton, who would return to get the pet.
However, Amanda claimed to have waited there for 30 minutes, and no one showed up for the dog. At that point, she contacted the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) and spoke to a police intern, saying, “I can’t just leave this dog like this. What do you think I should do?”
A recording of Amanda’s call with GRPD has been shared by her attorney, Miles Greengard. The police intern told her, “I can’t give you advice or anything like that, but, um, just do what you gotta do.”
Amanda proceeded to ask if she’d get in trouble for taking the canine, and the intern responded, “I mean, if I were to give you any advice or anything like that, um, which I technically can’t, I would state the neglect the dog was in and that you thought it was abandoned.”
Grand Rapids Police Department’s public information officer, Jennifer Kalczuk, has since stated, “The intern who answered the call was not on scene and had no way to determine the condition of the dog, only what was being relayed to him by the caller.”
Following her conversation with the police intern, Amanda spoke to the Kent County Animal Shelter. Upon detailing the situation to a female at the shelter, she was informed that Animal Control was closed and supposedly informed to “go ahead and take the dog.”
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Angela Hollinshead, director of the Kent County Animal Shelter, has responded to Amanda’s claims, saying, “We are aware of recent concerns regarding an individual who took possession of a dog they believed was in need. We have also been informed that they may have contacted our shelter beforehand. We are reviewing our records to determine whether a call was received and how our staff responded.”
After Amanda’s alleged phone call with the shelter, she cut the dog’s rope and began to examine him. He was reportedly “very lethargic” and acting as if he had “no energy,” so she transported the dog to her clinic, Care Veterinary Services, located in Millington.
There, Amanda performed surgery to address a severe urinary tract infection and a rotten tooth. Once the procedures, worth $3,000, were completed, she brought the canine home with her and named him “Biggby.”
Chris Hamilton, the dog’s owner, tells a different story. He claimed to have left his dog, named Vinny, behind the business while he walked to a gas station. Chris thought he’d left a bowl of water with his pet and was gone between 30 and 45 minutes.
When he arrived back at the business and realized Vinny was gone, he spoke to bystanders and learned a woman, Amanda, had cut Vinny’s tether and taken him in her vehicle.
“I just want my dog back. I had my dog for 15 years. Never neglected him, and, you know, we loved each other. I mean, I felt like I lost part of my body after that. Never felt the same after losing him,” Chris said.
Grand Rapids police told Amanda to return the dog to Chris, who adopted him from the Kent County Animal Shelter over a decade ago. Yet, she refused, citing concerns that authorities wouldn’t properly investigate the pet’s living conditions.
“I rescued this dog. I put more than $3,000 into medical treatment, and now I’m just supposed to hand him over to go back to those conditions? This isn’t right at all,” Amanda noted.
Due to her refusal, Amanda was charged with misdemeanor larceny under $200 by the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office. Her trial will begin on March 6.
“It’s just taking something that doesn’t belong to you. You don’t have a right to just take something because you feel something’s wrong. You don’t just take matters into your own hands,” explained Kent County Prosecutor Christopher Becker.
“People have a very big attachment to their animals. No matter where you are in life, what your stature is in life, be it rich, poor, [or] whatever it is, this is something that’s important to an individual. Obviously, the jury will have a right to hear the case and make a decision based on the facts and evidence.”
If Amanda is convicted, she could face up to 93 days behind bars. Nonetheless, she plans to “stand by Biggby’s side and make sure he has adequate care.”
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