Tennessee Man Charged With Setting Dog On Fire Gets New Puppy, Arrested Again

UPDATE July 21: Riona’s attacker, Quishon Brown, has been released on bail. A few days later, he was then ARRESTED AGAIN on Saturday July 16 for breaching his bail conditions. One of those conditions set for Brown’s release was that he NOT be allowed to purchase or obtain another pet. However, footage taken by neighbors and submitted to Memphis police showed Brown with a brand new puppy. These images were taken on July 15 and 16, officials said.

Although no puppies were found at the time of Brown’s arrest, the court-ordered search continued through the weekend and into Monday morning. It was rumored that Brown was currently in possession of up to three dogs, and possibly a cat or two as well. Many neighbors believe Brown’s associates removed the pets from the house to ease his sentence, although evidence of their existence has been noted (a black cat climbing through an open window in the house, a petty crate for dogs seen in the garage, and more).

Brown is currently jailed for breaching his bail conditions and is due in court next week for sentencing. And while we don’t yet know the full results of court-ordered searches, Tails of Hope Rescue has announced that it has been awarded custody of a Chihuahua Mix named Macy who was rescued from Brown’s residence. This sweet girl was terrified, although physically unharmed, and is now preparing to return home forever.

Riona’s condition continues to improve day by day. She undergoes her skin grafting procedures like the brave champion that she is and continues to treat her caregivers with nothing but love and adoration. We’ll continue to follow this story as updates are released to ensure justice is served for sweet Riona.

Original post:

A Memphis man has been arrested for aggravated animal cruelty following a brutal and senseless attack on a handsome Pitbull Mix named Riona.

Riona, who initially went by the name Queen, was found running down a Memphis street engulfed in flames. This act of torture turned out to be intentional because the innocent dog’s coat reeked of the smell of diesel fuel. According to her caretakers at Bluff City Veterinary Hospital, she suffered severe burns to more than 60% of her body.

After her rescue, Riona quickly became an internet star and is now a beloved global treasure. A TikTok account created to tell Riona’s story (@justice4riona) now has over ninety-four thousand followers. And the sweet girl, still being treated for her injuries at Bluff City Vet, received an amazing outpouring of gifts, cards and donations to help her recover.

The kind-hearted folks at Tails of Hope Rescue, who now own Riona, have been campaigning for this arrest for weeks and were thrilled with the news.

“Sleep in peace, my sweet daughter,” the lifeguard said. “Your attacker is behind bars.”

Riona continues to make great improvements every day. His condition is now stable enough to start a skin graft, the first of which will take place next week. And his left eye, which veterinary staff initially thought was not salvageable, miraculously healed with no loss of vision.

Riona’s Guardians report that she continues to let her sweet and loving personality shine through. She starts acting like a real dog again:

“She’s definitely starting to thrive,” said Bluff City vet tech Mallory McLemore. “She wants to roll around in the grass and play and do things like that. And someone sent her a teddy bear, so she was grinding on it earlier.

In addition to the animal cruelty charges, Riona’s attacker is also charged with common assault and arson, which is setting fire to personal property. This latest charge was added when the arrested person threatened to burn down the house of whoever submitted the home security footage that ultimately led to his arrest.

Rescue supporters on Facebook shared to celebrate the exciting news in addition to expressing their sincere hope that Riona’s attacker gets justice to the fullest extent of the law:

“WHAT A GREAT DAY IN THE WORLD OF ANIMAL RESCUE!!!! said one user. “Now prosecute him to the full EXTENT OF THE LAW and set a precedent so others can think twice before repeating such heinous acts of cruelty.”

Riona’s lifeguards at Tails of Hope are now selling Justice-themed t-shirts for Riona to raise money for her medical bills. While she still has a long way to go, specialists believe this sweet girl will make a full recovery. And she can now sleep soundly at night, knowing her abuser can never hurt her again. Justice for Riona!

Featured Image: Facebook