Rasheedat Fetuga, 48, faces two aggravated animal cruelty counts after Metro Animal Care and Control took custody of two dogs at a Hyde Ferry Road property in Nashville, WSMV reported Monday, citing arrest papers.
Officers responded Saturday, September 19. The affidavit alleges that the dogs had spent hours outside without food, water or cover in heat described as 107°F. Police papers described both dogs as malnourished and panting, with body temperatures of 104°F.
Fetuga told investigators she had been away since Friday and that her son was supposed to look after them, according to the report. The papers also allege that animal control issued a warning on July 26 about similar circumstances. The charges have not been proven in court.
The dogs’ status and Nashville’s rule
Animal control took both dogs into custody. WSMV said it had requested an update on them; the material reviewed does not establish their subsequent recovery.
Metro’s heat safety guidance says outdoor pets must have water and shelter. It also says tethering is prohibited during extreme weather, including a National Weather Service heat index of 95°F or higher. That is a heat index threshold, not a dog’s body temperature. The rule provides local context; it does not establish whether tethering occurred in this case.
Sources
How we reported this: WSMV is the verified incident source. The official Metro page independently supports the local rule, not the criminal allegations. The affidavit’s 107°F figure is not treated as a verified National Weather Service air temperature reading.
