A 19-year-old Palm Beach County woman is facing an animal cruelty charge after authorities said she was paid $80 to crop the ears of a puppy and made a mess of it.

Brandi Nicole Seipe of Lake Worth appeared before a judge Wednesday on one count of animal cruelty and a second count of unlicensed veterinary practice. Both are third-degree felonies, punishable by up to 5 years in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.

King, a pit bull terrier, is recovering, but not until after being treated by a licensed veterinarian who found the puppy was in pain and its ears had been sutured and tied together with fishing line.

"This young lady apparently really didn't know what she doing," said West Palm Beach veterinarian Bill Sharpe, who examined King after the puppy's new owner worried that the procedure conducted in Seipe's suburban home had been botched.

"The cropping itself had very irregular edges, the two ears not similar in size and shape, and when they were closed up, the cartilage of the ear was showing," said Sharpe. "No medications, no bandages. Very concerning."

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The case began in July after Sharpe contacted Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control saying that a woman had come into his office with a 10-week-old puppy in distress.

The dog's owner, identified in a complaint affidavit as Natalie Nunez, said the Broward County resident who had sold her the puppy also recommended Seipe for a cut-rate pricing on ear cropping, a cosmetic procedure that many veterinarians will not do because of cruelty concerns.

Nunez later told investigators that Seipe would not allow her inside the house to observe the procedure. When she returned to pick up the dog about 45 minutes later, Nunez was alarmed at what she saw, investigators said.

"She asked [Seipe] why [the ears] were so short and was told they would grow," according to the report signed by Animal Care and Control investigator Jennifer Batchelor.

"She asked [Seipe] if she had given her puppy any sedation as he seemed 'out of it' and couldn't stand up and [Seipe] replied that she had given something similar to Xanax but not to worry because she was a veterinary technician and had done it several times before to many dogs."

On July 14, two days after the illegal surgery on King, Batchelor visited the puppy and Nunez at her home. "I observed his ears to be scabbed over and healing," Batchelor wrote. "Ms. Nunez stated that she will follow all recommendations from her veterinarian for the remaining care of the puppy."

Sharpe said he continues to see King regularly.

Staff researcher Barbara Hijek contributed to this report.

mwclary@sunsentinel.com

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