Merced residents rallying around the alleged abuse of Sweetie, a husky belonging to an unhoused man, took their fight to the city council meeting Monday night, demanding justice for the dog and stronger local action against widespread animal abuse.
Sweetie’s case went viral earlier this month as photos and videos of the dog’s thin skeletal frame circulated online.
Merced police said in a Facebook post that Sweetie was examined by a veterinarian and determined to be in good health on Aug. 6. Two days later, officers took her into protective custody.
Officials with the Merced County District Attorney’s Office said on Aug. 11 they were awaiting the complete police investigation before determining whether charges are appropriate.
Supporters pack Merced Civic Center
Every seat in the council chambers was filled Monday as supporters gathered for Sweetie. Some wore teal SPCA shirts, while one speaker donned a “Justice for Sweetie” T-shirt. Members of the Merced SPCA attended, including the organization’s president, Cynthia Kelly.
“Animals in our community need to be safe, and concerns about abuse or neglect need to be taken seriously,” Kelly said during public comment.
Some community members nodded along with speakers, while others cried quietly in the audience.
“My plea tonight is simple. It’s for transparency, accountability and justice,” Merced resident Debbie Flores said. “Please pursue felony charges, and take steps to prevent this individual from ever owning pets again.”
Desri Sullivan, a retired animal control officer for Merced police, called for Sweetie to remain out of her former owner’s custody and raised concerns about how evidence in animal abuse cases is handled.
“The dog needs to be taken away, and I think it would be the best thing for this city where he cannot possess another animal,” Sullivan said.
“Yes!” attendees responded before breaking into applause.
“Please, while she’s talking, we got to be quiet,” Mayor Matthew Serratto told the crowd.
In the days following the meeting, the police department expressed appreciation for the public’s mobilization over Sweetie.
“Moving forward, the (police) department looks forward to working with local animal welfare organizations and helping the community better understand how to report concerns and what information can be helpful to officers when investigating animal welfare cases,” wrote Jennifer Flachman, the city’s spokesperson.
Advocates say problem goes beyond Sweetie
Even with the significant level of attention Sweetie’s case has received, local animal advocates say her story points to a larger problem of animal abuse in Merced.
“If Sweetie were a unique case, we could say this was just a one-off,” Kelly said. “But it’s not.”
The Merced SPCA has encountered dogs used for fighting, dogs chained without food or water, cats allegedly used as bait and animals routinely abandoned across the city, Kelly said.
In just two weeks this summer, volunteers removed 35 domestic cats dumped at colonies monitored by the organization, Kelly said. The group oversees about 80 colonies and nearly 700 cats throughout Merced.
For Kelly, the concern extends beyond animal abuse itself to what happens after suspected abuse is reported.
Kelly said she wants to see stronger consequences for animal cruelty.
“We need stricter penalties,” she said. “We need cases to be prosecuted because if people know they’re just going to get a slap on the wrist, guess what they’re going to do? They’re going to do it again.”
City faces calls for more action
In an interview with The Merced FOCUS, Serratto agreed that animal abuse is an ongoing challenge in the city.
“I think we’re doing a lot, but we could always do more, for sure,” Serratto said.
He pointed to the city’s Animal Control Division, police investigations and partnerships with Merced County and local animal organizations. The city also has helped fund spay and neuter efforts.
Still, Serratto acknowledged resources can only stretch so far.
“The need is bigger than the resource,” he said.
Serratto, an experienced prosecutor who works in nearby Stanislaus County, declined to say whether the city appropriately handled earlier reports involving Sweetie, citing the ongoing investigation and saying he had not reviewed the specific complaints.
“I think we do take reports of animal abuse seriously, but we also need good evidence within the law to take action,” Serratto said.
Advocates say it’s ‘not a homeless issue’
The Merced SPCA raised concerns about Sweetie with Merced police in November, Kelly said. She later learned complaints involving Sweetie and her owner dated back to around July 2025.
Kelly said she witnessed Sweetie’s owner, Christopher Rockman, grab her by the neck and slam her down outside Home Depot in November. Animal Control officers responded to her call, but Rockman was allowed to leave with Sweetie after telling an officer he was disciplining the husky.
“I’ve been in this for 30 years,” Kelly said. “That’s not discipline. That’s abuse.”
For months, Karen Kelsey also watched the situation surrounding Sweetie unfold in her Merced neighborhood.
Kelsey said she regularly saw a man neighbors knew only as “Sam” walking with Sweetie, sometimes carrying a machete. But what disturbed her most was what she said she saw happening to the husky.
“I don’t know about all the other accusations,” Kelsey said. “All I know is about what I have seen, and I have seen him mistreat the dog. Abuse is abuse at the end of the day.”
Sweetie’s owner has not been seen in Merced since Friday, according to local animal advocates. Reports of possible sightings along Blackstone Avenue in Fresno circulated Sunday, but the Merced SPCA said it has not confirmed his current location.
Kelly cautioned against tying Sweetie’s case to Rockman’s homelessness.
“This is not a homeless issue. This is an abuse issue,” Kelly said.
The Merced SPCA regularly provides food, medication, vaccines and veterinary care for pets belonging to unhoused residents, she said.
“We’re not stigmatizing homeless people owning pets,” Kelly said. “We’re stigmatizing abuse. There’s a difference.”
The Merced FOCUS called Rockman twice and left a message through Facebook for comment but did not receive a response.
Rockman has remained active online.
Public Facebook posts reviewed by The Merced FOCUS show him demanding Sweetie back while using violent antisemitic language, including blaming Jewish people for his situation and describing violence against them and Merced residents.
In one, he wrote that people in Merced “deserve to be hanged.” He also targeted Kelly, calling her a liar and saying she “should be fired and replaced.”
Merced Police Department received 17 calls about Sweetie since last April, according to a call list The FOCUS obtained. Most calls were this August, just before the dog was taken into protective custody.
Sweetie’s current care
Sweetie is currently at the county animal shelter for the time being.
Whenever a dog is placed in the county animal shelter, Merced County Deputy Alexandra Garcia said, a veterinarian determines whether any medical care is necessary. The owner is responsible for paying those fees.
A seizure hearing must occur within two weeks of the seizure date, said Garcia, a spokesperson for the Merced County Sheriff’s Office. The informal hearing for Sweetie determined that her seizure was lawful.
It won’t be until police finish their investigation that the district attorney’s office files charges against Sweetie’s owner, if any. Officials with the DA’s office said they are “committed to seeking justice in every case where the evidence supports it,” in a news release.
“Sweetie is being taken care of,” Garcia said.
