May 18 trial for pair charged with animal cruelty

The case was in San Mateo County Superior Court on Monday to set a new trial date, the ninth in the case.

According to prosecutors, Souter was at the San Bruno home of co-defendant Shelby Lujan, 25, taking care of the 2-year-old dog Sprocket on April 19, 2016, while she was at school.

While in his care, Sprocket suffered severe burns and Souter told Lujan when she came home that he had accidentally spilled hot water from a cup of tea on the dog, prosecutors said.

Despite severe burns, neither Lujan nor Souter sought emergency care for Sprocket and two weeks later Lujan brought her dog to the North Peninsula Vet Clinic in San Bruno where it was determined that the dog was suffering third degree burns on 40% of his body including the chest, genitals, bottom, tail and all four legs and paws, prosecutors said.

The burns were infected and the dog was in shock, septic, emaciated and in such pain that the veterinarian was unable to examine him, according to prosecutors. Sprocket died within hours of cardiac arrest and the forensic examiner concluded the animal could not have suffered the injuries from spilled water and that the injuries had to be intentionally inflicted, prosecutors said.