Pollack
By: Mary Beth Almond | Shelby-Utica News | Published April 17, 2026
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — A Shelby Township woman has been charged after allegedly torturing and abandoning her dog, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.
Stacey Pollack, 38, was arraigned April 14 in the 41A District Court in Shelby Township and charged with third-degree animal torture, a felony punishable by up to four years in prison, and abandoning or committing cruelty to one animal, a 93-day misdemeanor. Her bond was set at $10,000, and if released, she must wear a steel-cuff tether and have no contact with animals that could be considered pets.
“As prosecutors, we are obligated to defend those who cannot defend themselves, including animals that rely entirely on human care for their well-being,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said in a prepared statement. “Cruelty toward pets is not a trivial matter, it represents a profound breach of both the law and our collective ethical standards. My office will not tolerate such conduct and remains committed to holding accountable anyone who mistreats animals in their care.”
The charges — which are the “maximum charges available under the law based on the evidence presented,” according to the prosecutor — stem from an incident March 5, when Shelby Township police responded to a call for a welfare check on Pollack.
“A family member wanted police to check on her well-being,” Shelby Township Police Sgt. Kevin Bailey said.
While calling for her and knocking on the door, police said, the improperly latched door opened and officers heard a dog barking inside. They soon saw it behind an upstairs gate, noting that it was “extremely malnourished and underweight,” according to reports.
Macomb County Animal Control took the dog to be evaluated by a veterinarian, and the animal was turned over to Detroit Animal Welfare Group, which the prosecutor said was “providing appropriate care and treatment.
In an April 12 social media post, DAWG said Karl was “doing much better since being left to starve.”
In an April 15 social media post, DAWG thanked Lucido and Macomb County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Justin Pollard for charging Pollack and “taking animal cruelty seriously in our county.”
“Special thanks to the Shelby Township police for finding Karl and getting the report to the prosecutor. He is a very special dog that was rescued from the Bethlehem shelter in the West Bank to escape the war and come to America for safety, only to be left to starve to death by the person he trusted,” DAWG said in the post.
A representative from DAWG did not respond to requests for further comment at press time.
Pollack is scheduled for a probable cause conference in the district court April 28. Her attorney, Janet Peters, could not be reached for comment at press time.