Big Pine Key, FL - A 72-year-old Florida woman who was recently released on bond for drowning her puppy was re-arrested for allegedly attempting to break into an animal shelter to steal back surrendered dogs.
Just 24 hours after bonding out of jail for allegedly drowning her Schnauzer puppy, 72-year-old Delaine Lowry is back in custody, this time accused of breaking into a Florida Keys animal shelter in an attempt to steal back dogs previously owned by her and her husband.
Police say Lowry was initially arrested Monday on an aggravated animal cruelty charge after Monroe County deputies accused her of suffocating and drowning a 6-to-10-month-old Schnauzer puppy in a bag outside her Big Pine Key home.
She was released on a $35,000 bond Tuesday evening but quickly found herself in legal trouble again.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), Lowry attempted to break into the Florida Keys SPCA Marathon Campus on Wednesday evening.
Surveillance footage captured her climbing over the shelter’s fence and attempting to enter the facility, causing $600 in damage to a door.
The shelter, located at 10550 Aviation Blvd., was closed at the time.
Deputies said Lowry’s husband had called someone to report her actions, which prompted authorities to respond.
The SPCA confirmed that the dogs Lowry attempted to "steal back" were previously owned by her and her husband but had been surrendered by the husband to the shelter.
Deputies returned to the couple's home, where they found Lowry wearing the same clothes as seen in the surveillance footage.
She was taken into custody without incident.
At MCSO’s Marathon substation, Lowry reportedly claimed not to understand why she was being questioned and denied knowing what the SPCA was, despite staff stating they were familiar with her.
Lowry is now being held at the Key West jail facility with no bond.
She faces burglary and criminal mischief charges for the break-in, alongside her initial animal cruelty charge.
Her arraignment for the burglary case is set for December 3, while a separate court hearing for the animal cruelty case is scheduled for December 5.