July 10, 2025 9:20 a.m.

Sutherlin Police jailed a woman in an animal neglect case on Wednesday afternoon.

An SPD report said at 12:45 p.m. two dogs were found inside a vehicle in the 200 block of South State Street. It was determined that they had been there for several hours. The internal temperature of the vehicle was 105 degrees and rising. Both dogs were removed through a previously broken back window. They were taken to Saving Grace Humane Society.

The owner of the dogs, 44-year-old Valerie Shepherd. was later contacted during an unrelated incident and admitted to leaving both dogs in the vehicle since “sunup” Wednesday morning. Sheperd was charged with two counts each of second-degree animal neglect, and animal abandonment. She was detained on $10,000 bail.