A man from Butler County, Ohio was recently sentenced to prison time for fatally starving his dog, a two-year-old Doberman pinscher named Lou.
Judge Robert Lyons sentenced 36-year-old David Neanover, who pleaded no contest, to 180 days in prison for one account of animal cruelty and 90 days for a second, along with 180 days for domestic violence. The sentences will run concurrently.
Neanover, who had sadistically named the Doberman pinscher “Lucifer,” was originally charged with felony cruelty to a companion animal and taken into custody, where he was held on $25,000 bond. After posting bail, he was free within days, and shortly after, his charges were lowered to first degree misdemeanors, sparking outrage among activists. As the trial approached, letters urging the judge to impose the maximum sentence poured in from as far away as Florida.
Acting on anonymous complaints, police reported to Neanover’s Reily Township home in May 2019, where they discovered Lou starved and clinging to life in the backyard without food or water. The pup was taken to a local animal hospital, where veterinarians discovered that he was 23 pounds underweight and had ulcers on his tongue, making it difficult for him to eat or drink. His emaciated body was covered in open wounds from a fungal infection, and an X-ray showed rocks in the dog’s stomach, which he had eaten out of desperation to survive.
“No normal human being could look at this dog and think this is acceptable,” Sheriff Richard Jones said at the time. “Animal Friends will do everything they can to save this poor animal, but the current condition is very bad.”
Vets scrambled to save Lou’s life, but he was too weak to continue fighting and passed away five days later.

Animal abusers should die a thousand torturous deaths!! Then be damned to hell!!
What is wrong with this Judge??? This Sadistic Monster should be in prison!!! This Judge is just as bad letting this Bastard out!! I am Heartsick!
What is wrong with this Judge??? This Sadistic Monster should be in prison!!! This Judge is just as bad letting this Bastard out!! I am Heartsick!
What is wrong with this Judge??? This Sadistic Monster should be in prison!!! This Judge is just as bad letting this Bastard out!! I am Heartsick!
I’m TOTALLY DISGUSTED a judge let this POS out of jail before he had served his time! HE IS A HEARTLESS MONSTER & DESERVES TO STARVE TO DEATH!!!!!!!!!! I PRAY HE IS NEVER ALLOWED TO OWN A PET EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!
Good. Now rot in jail asshole!
Sorry to say, but a very lenient judge RELEASED David Neanover from jail before he had even served a month. So, the miscreant got off with both animal abuse and domestic violence abuse. No justice for Lou the Doberman.
AMEN!! AND MAY THAT ROTTEN MAN DIE!!
Judge has let him out of jail!
So he served no time in jail, after his horrible crime? Then, that judge must be crazy!
Yes, this judge is in the same town where I live and where the crime was committed. The judge has a reputation for being soft on domestic violence charges and animal abuse charges. Unfortunately, no one ever runs against him. He let David Neanover out of jail after Neanover spent less than a month there. Neanover’s lawyer appealed to the judge and the judge decided to put Neanover on probation. David Neanover is a free man. Even 180 days was not much for the three sentences that he was to serve concurrently.
Why can’t an appeal to the supreme court be done in this casr, so he can get a proper punishment?
Wish I were there….. They would never find his body!
I’m TOTALLY DISGUSTED a judge let this POS out of jail before he had served his time! HE IS A HEARTLESS MONSTER & DESERVES TO STARVE TO DEATH!!!!!!!!!! I PRAY HE IS NEVER ALLOWED TO OWN A PET EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!
Judge has let him out of jail!
My heart breaks for sweet little Doggie Lou — Why could we not have found Lou sooner? — IDIOT David Neanover is a real PSYCHO who belongs NOWHERE NEAR Animals — Ensure this IDIOT-MONSTER gets thrown in prison for a long time — clearly, he’s a DANGER to society — this IMBECILE’S “punishment is way too lax — get some STIFF laws and enforce them — penalize this IDIOT severely — we do NOT want repeats of crimes against Animals EVER AGAIN.
I am sorry to inform you and anyone else reading this that David Neanover is OUT OF JAIL. The lenient judge for Oxford Area 1 Court, who has a reputation for being soft on domestic violence and animal abuse cases, allowed him to get out of jail (following a motion by Neanover’s attorney) and put him on probation. David Neanover is a free man.
Evil.
Only 180 days. – Should have been 180 years.
What a farce these judges are. If that had been a child – he WOULD have got 180 years.
Only 180 days. – Should have been 180 years.
What a farce these judges are. If that had been a child – he WOULD have got 180 years.
The three sentences should not be allowed to be served concurrently. Neanover had a DOMESTIC VIOLENCE charge in addition to the animal cruelty charges! He is dangerous! Judge has a reputation for going easy.
BUTLER COUNTY, OHIO: Re: Case of Mentally ill David Neanover killing his Innocent & Helpless Doberman Pinscher named Lou short for Lucifer (the name given to poor dog by owner proves Neanover mentally ill) Judge Robert Lyons sentence was not adequate. Justice for Lou!
He’s demonic.
He needs to be in prison. Better yet, he needs to be locked in a house with no creature comforts and no food or water.
That was no real punishment for the evil he inflicted on that poor, innocent animal. Why are sentences for real animal cruelty so pathetic?
We need stiffer penalties for animal abuse and neglect. There is NO excuse. I’d like a minute with him and a baseball bat.
Animal lives matter
Horrific cruelty, terrible.
Check out this monster’s Facebook page.
Dear Judge, Give the maximum sentence to this evil man. If he didn’t want the dog, he could have easily taken it to
a shelter, fire station or a place of rescue.
AMEN. America and the world need to PROSECUTE these abusers so severely they will NEVER abuse again!
If the judge had ordered his three sentences to be served CONSECUTIVELY, David Neanover would be spending 450 days in jail instead of 180. Three sentences–one domestic violence, two animal cruelty–will be served CONCURRENTLY. I think he got off easy.
Humans who do this should be put down. They will move on to defenseless people [children], they won’t stop at animals!
Only 180 days in prison for starving his dog!!! WTF is that about!!!
Should have been 180 years.
When WILL animal abuse/murder be the same as if the animal were a child?
Only 180 days in prison for starving his dog!!! WTF is that about!!!
Should have been 180 years.
When WILL animal abuse/murder be the same as if the animal were a child?
We think this deserves an investigation (special) about the circumstances of this person and the facts involved.
it would be nourishing for our community and for the people involved in this, also for the person who committed this… (news?)
This sentence is a joke.
Perp needs to be made to chew on a few rocks himself and see how he likes it.
Yay Thank you Jdge in this case with this worthless piece of crap–I am so sick in my stomach forpoor Lou! I hope this guy pays for what he did I hope they get him in jail
Are you kidding? Peaceful and family friendly after what you just posted photos and a story of? I want to most sincerely invite every hate filled lunatic that would harm any animal or person, or spew racist hate and harm to anyone to please be our guest and kill yourself only, we promise to applaud your absence from the planet where you never deserved to be.
Amen!!
My comment was sarcastic. By “sensitivity training” I meant I hope he gets what he “deserves” in prison. I have to be careful what I say or it will not be posted.
we demand long term prison
The sentences will run concurrently … that should never happen!
I hope this psycho meets up with an Animal Lover while inside.
With a little luck, David Neanover won’t make it back out.
R.I.P. Lucifer – at least you were loved at the end.
Thank you, Animal Friends, for caring </3
This monster needs to be prosecuted to the fullest degree.
Go look him up … a real piece of……………..bet this wasn’t his first time torturing a dog to death!!!
AND WHY WHY WHY DIDN’T ANYONE DO SOMETHING…PEOPLE AROUND HIM AND THIS HOUSE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WAS WRONG AND DID NOTHING SOONER!!!
FOR GOD’S SAKE…SEE SOMETHING – DO SOMETHING!!!
AMEN!!!
If you do a Butler County (Ohio) property search for 6165 Main Street, Oxford, Ohio, 45056. you will see that David Neanover’s back yard is pretty well hidden with a privacy fence and bushes. Neighbors did contact authorities. One elderly neighbor said he was afraid of David Neanover. I do not know why girlfriend Kayla Reed allowed the abuse of the dog to go on. Also, the kids are old enough that they could have told a teacher or reliable adult.
If you look up the address, it may give the location as Reily Township.
I hope people will let David Neanover know how they feel about him on his Facebook page.
AGREED!
Go look him up … a real piece of……………..bet this wasn’t his first time torturing a dog to death!!!
AND WHY WHY WHY DIDN’T ANYONE DO SOMETHING…PEOPLE AROUND HIM AND THIS HOUSE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WAS WRONG AND DID NOTHING SOONER!!!
FOR GOD’S SAKE…SEE SOMETHING – DO SOMETHING!!!
RIP precious Lou. I can’t believe this happened to you!
Breaks my heart. He should be charged with MURDER!
I hope he meets genuine animal lovers while inside
MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
There are no words. I hope this creep gets ‘sensitivity training’ in prison before he gets released back into society.
I hope someone beats the #$% out of him in prison ….
and he dies a torturous death!!
MEEEEEEEEEEEEE TOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Fingers crossed!