I love every dog, and I especially expect the people sworn to uphold the law to be held to the law when they fail one.
Robert Tatum was a Henry County, Virginia sheriff's office employee until his own dog blew the whistle on him — not by choice, but by survival. His Husky was found running loose on July 23, 2026, with a collar so tight it had become embedded in the dog's neck, causing an open wound, along with signs of significant underweight and neglect. The dog is now recovering at Angels for Animals in Ohio and, thankfully, is expected to be put up for adoption once healthy.
Virginia State Police arrested Tatum, and the Henry County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office authorized a felony animal cruelty charge against him on July 27, 2026. He resigned from the sheriff's office and was released on a $3,500 secured bond. Sheriff Wayne Davis said, "The welfare of animals in our community is important, and we appreciate the partnership of the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office and the Virginia State Police in this investigation" — the kind of statement that sounds good right up until the moment a plea deal quietly reduces a felony to a fine.
I'm asking the Henry County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office to prosecute this case exactly as it would prosecute any other felony animal cruelty case — no professional courtesy, no quiet plea to a lesser charge because the defendant used to wear a badge. A dog nearly lost its life to neglect this severe. The fact that it happened on a law enforcement employee's watch should raise the bar for accountability, not lower it.
Please sign to tell Henry County prosecutors that this case deserves full, public, felony-level accountability.
