PRESQUE ISLE – A memorial service that drew 200 people who mourned the torture and killing of a stolen dog gave community members a chance to take a stand against animal cruelty but left the pet’s owner saying she felt she was being blamed for the animal’s death.

A state humane agent told those attending that the dog had been a victim of abuse before being abducted.

People from Mars Hill to Frenchville stood somberly during the service Friday evening, clustered in a small glen along the Presque Isle municipal bike path – a few feet from where a passer-by discovered the remains of a dog that had been cut, stabbed and beaten to death.

The service was organized by the Aroostook Animal Welfare Awareness Group or AAWAG. It commemorated C.C., the dog whose killing three weeks ago has prompted letters and faxes from around the world to the local prosecutor.

Three Presque Isle boys, two 17 and one 16, allegedly entered a back yard near the bike path at random on June 2 and took the 4-year-old female mixed breed, intending to kill it, according to police reports. The teens at first were charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony. Prosecutors learned later that a legislative drafting error forced them to lodge only a misdemeanor charge, cruelty to animals.

Officials said the dog died of multiple cut, stab and slicing wounds coupled with signs of blunt striking trauma, though they are not sure how long the animal suffered before she died.

Some people brought their dogs, others held candles or bouquets of forget-me-nots.

The Rev. Jim Morgan of New Sweden led the memorial, and Jennifer Howlett, a state humane agent, read from a five-page statement during the service, stressing how important it was for residents to “have the courage to stand up for the voiceless members of our society” and to have zero tolerance for animal cruelty.

During her address, Howlett said the dog had been a victim of abuse before she was abducted from her owner’s yard.

“This dog was made a victim by being chained up for so many years of its life,” Howlett said, suggesting that if C.C. had not been left out at night, she might not have been taken from her yard.

The dog’s owner, who was standing on the edge of the crowd during the memorial service, did not hear Howlett’s statement but said later she saw Howlett interviewed on TV. The NEWS is not identifying the owner because of its general policy of preserving the identity of crime victims.

“I really am appalled by that – that she would say that after my animal was taken and slaughtered the way she was. She obviously doesn’t care about human feelings,” the owner said.

She said Howlett took the opportunity to “get on a soapbox” about how she felt the owner’s dogs were mistreated.

Presque Isle police had received phone complaints about the owner’s barking dogs in recent years, log records show. The owner said her “snow dogs” loved to be outside, that she felt it was inhumane to keep them inside all the time and that city ordinances required her to keep them on chains outside when unattended.

“Nobody ever talked to me about the way they felt,” the owner said. “And that was not the appropriate time or place to do it. If that’s the way people felt, they should have talked to me personally about it. Right then was not the opportunity for her to label me.”

Howlett could not be reached by phone Sunday for a response.

There was no visible reaction to Howlett’s comments during the service.

“We’re here to make a statement that this type of tragedy isn’t going to be tolerated; that this is recognized for the heinous crime that it is,” Christine Robinson of the local humane society said in an interview Friday.

Sherrie LaFaver of Presque Isle said after the service that people should pray that the accused teens get help so they never harm an animal again. She also said community members are angry that the teens’ charges were lowered from a felony to a misdemeanor because they “absolutely need jail time, counseling and community service” to help turn their lives around.

“Someone made a big mistake,” LaFaver said. “I don’t understand how it could be taken off the books and forgotten like that. It tells me that animal welfare is not as important an issue as it should be.”

Community members at the service vowed to make animal welfare issues a top priority for the area.

“I hope to speak to my state representative about this issue,” Nancy Summerson of Frenchville said after the service. “People need to know that they will be punished if they harm an animal.”

Officials with AAWAG said Friday they will continue efforts to raise awareness about and education on animal cruelty.

AAWAG member Norma McEntee said the group will use the $500 raised in C.C.’s memory to buy a memorial stone to be placed on the city’s bike path. AAWAG will place the leftover money into a “C.C. Fund” to help local animals in need.

As the service ended and people began to drift away from the memorial site, one woman was still handing out small blue and yellow ribbons for people to pin to their clothes – blue and yellow to represent forget-me-nots.

It was a small gesture, but one which Lisa Desjardins said was appropriate.

“I think C.C. would say, ‘Please don’t forget me,'” she said.