DULUTH — A St. Louis County resident will face felony charges of animal neglect after an investigation into an abandoned and malnourished pit bull in Duluth.
A post by Animal Allies Humane Society on social media about the dog, nicknamed Lovebug, went viral. It featured an image of the extremely underweight male dog, who was found lying in the ditch not far from the shelter.
The dog was unable to walk on its own and shelter leaders said his condition led them to believe he’d been locked in a kennel for some time. Lovebug, also known as Gio, died a short time later.
The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office announced in a Facebook post last night it had made an arrest in the case.
Animal Allies says it received an outpouring of support and donations on behalf of Lovebug. The dog leaves a lasting legacy for the many special cases that will follow after him, the shelter says.
-
Plus: Minnesota's archery deer season opens Sept. 19, 2026; and health experts caution that disease-carrying ticks surge in fall. -
ContributedDozens of ticks as part of a study with the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute were submitted from the Bemidji area. -
Contributed/MN DNRBow hunters harvested more than 30,000 deer during the 2025 archery season — an all-time high. The 2026 season runs from Sept. 19 through Dec. 31. -
Emma Krab/KAXEThe mining company celebrated a $770 million federal loan and the production of its first concentrate at a blast event Sept. 17, 2026. Two days earlier, it announced the "next phase of investment" at an Itasca County Board meeting. -
Contributed/Minnesota SenateProsecutors are calling for five years in prison for the former Grand Rapids state senator. His defense team is arguing for time already served, plus five years of supervision. -
Pam Perry, a retired non-game wildlife biologist, stopped by to talk about BirdCast, Northern Flickers, Blue Jays, and Common Nighthawks. -
Contributed/Old School LivesThe repurposed building features a food shelf, free meals, a thrift store, mercantile shop, fitness center, bakery and eatery, art classes and seasonal maker markets, as well as a youth center. -
Christopher Smith, conservation committee chair for the Minnesota Herpetological Society, discusses how salamanders use dead and dying trees. The series is produced by Mark Jacobs. -
Co-hosts Heidi Holtan and Charlie Mitchell chat about Darwin, monarch butterflies, and the decline (and hope) of birds.Send us a voice memo through SpeakPipe! -
Megan Buffington/KAXEThe Iron Range offers a window into communities reckoning with how their identities must change for the betterment of future generations as schools increasingly collaborate.
