Dognapping charge dropped against Raleigh woman who left roaming pet at shelter

Nilsson said she found a German shepherd mix running in the street near Glenwood Avenue in the Five Points neighborhood. She said she knocked on doors and tried to find the dog's owner but was not successful, so she took the animal to the county animal shelter, where she sometimes volunteers.

"I didn't want the dog to get hit by a car or anything like that, and I felt like the shelter was a place where that wasn't going to happen to her," Nilsson said recently.

A few hours later, Raleigh police connected the dog with its owner and charged Nilsson.

Joanna Pittman, who owns the dog, said previously that she had called police after her neighbors told her someone stole her dog. But she said she just wanted her dog back and never wanted anyone to be charged or go to jail.

Nilsson's attorney, Ben Brown, said the Wake County District Attorney’s Office thoroughly investigated the case, interviewed people and determined there was not enough evidence to move forward, so they dismissed the charge.