Lincoln couple charged after dog died from ‘severe malnutrition,’ authorities say

Jesse Burianek and Riley Bader were each charged Tuesday with animal neglect resulting in death, a class four felony punishable by up to two years of incarceration, according to the complaints filed against the couple in Lancaster County Court.

Steve Beal, the city’s Animal Control manager, said Wednesday that the couple brought their mixed boxer, Buddha, to an emergency vet March 28 seeking belated medical care for the dog, who had already died.

The vet examined Buddha and noticed “severe malnutrition,” Beal said, before alerting Animal Control.

Investigators took Buddha to the University of Nebraska’s Veterinary Diagnostic Center, where medical examiners determined there was “no discernible body fat” on the dog’s body and there had been a significant loss of Buddha’s muscle mass due to “prolonged calorie restriction,” Beal said.

Buddha should have weighed anywhere between 60 and 80 pounds, Beal said.

The dog was 28.8 pounds when Burianek and Bader brought the dog the vet.

Animal Control officers cited the couple in March and sent the case along to the city attorney’s office for prosecution. The city attorney ultimately passed the case along to the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office for felony charges.

The couple made their first court appearance Wednesday, where Bader indicated they would retain their own legal counsel but hadn’t yet hired an attorney, according to court filings.

Beal called the case — and the fact that Buddha hadn’t seen a vet in several years — “discouraging.”

He implored pet owners to contact Animal Control or other local organizations for help if their pet is need of care that they can’t afford.

“You don’t have to let things go to this point,” he said.

Pet owners in need can call Animal Control at 402-441-7900. And the Capital Humane Society maintains a list of local resources on its website.