Second Suspect Arrested In Dog Dragging Case

By Jennifer Loren, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- It's a shocking case of animal cruelty and a second suspect has been arrested. 

Last October, a dog was tied to the bumper of an SUV and dragged for nearly a mile in Creek County.  After several months of investigating the woman accused of tying the dog to the bumper is charged with animal cruelty.

The dog, Sammy, not only survived the violence, he is thriving with his new family.

He's happy and healthy with his new family.  That wasn't the case last year after Sammy was dragged behind an SUV.

"He looked like he was all covered in cuts and cuts and he was oozing and everything," said Isaac, Sammy's new owner.

Witnesses identified 20-year-old Cody Hahn as the driver of the SUV.  He was arrested and charged with felony animal cruelty.

But, as Sammy was healing, another suspect avoided arrest.  She was the woman investigators say tied Sammy to the bumper.  Deputies arrested 18-year-old Rikki Seritt after proving her original alibi was a lie.  She's now charged with felony animal cruelty plus two counts of obstructing an officer.

According to an affidavit, Seritt told a friend she was there when the dog was tied to the bumper and dragged by Cody Hahn.

03/30/2009 Related Story: Woman Sought In Creek Co. Animal Abuse Case

Dog lovers who meet Sammy say they want to see both suspects prosecuted to the full extent of the law and some want the laws to be tougher.

"I'd like to see people, you know, get stricter laws as far as punishment for people that abuse animals," said animal advocate Jim McPartland.

They also want to know why someone would commit such an act.  According to the affidavit, Sammy was a stray and Seritt's family was annoyed by him.  They said Hahn offered to get rid of the dog for them, and a few days later without saying how, he told them indeed, "I got rid of that dog."

But, little Sammy is a fighter and thanks to the love and support he's had since the incident, he's still alive and happier than ever before.

Rikki Seritt will be in court July 7th.  Cody Hahn will be in court July 20th.

Sammy will never fully recover.