Youngstown, OH – A 24-year-old Ohio woman entered a guilty plea last week for a felony animal cruelty charge stemming from her decision to leave her dog alone in an attic while she went on vacation. The dog, a German shepherd, was dead by the time a search warrant for a residence in the 200 block of E. Boston Avenue was obtained by officials on July 22.

Rayne Dunmire will be sentenced on January 4 for the fifth-degree felony charge of cruelty to companion animals. As reported by WKBN News, Dunmire claimed that she entrusted her pet’s care to a relative, but the relative disputes her claim.

The dog died after being left unattended for weeks while Dunmire was out of state. She could face up to a year in prison at sentencing.