An Auburn-area college student has been charged with felony animal cruelty after authorities say she left her husky puppy locked in a kennel over the holiday break, leading to the animal’s death.

Police allege the student, Taylor Colbert, left her puppy Sky locked in a kennel in her Auburn apartment building for days over their winter break which resulted in the death of the animal.

Colbert turned herself in while wearing white clothes and white boots at the Auburn Police Department on Tuesday morning, photographed with her hands cuffed behind her back. Acquaintances of Colbert reportedly identified the puppy when a roommate returned from break to make the gruesome discovery, describing the smell as ‘unbearable’ to WRBL News 3 in Auburn.

Colbert was identified in social media posts and news reports as a student at Southern Union State Community College, however, a spokesperson for the school said she was not enrolled in the spring 2025 semester.

The school released a statement last week as allegations surfaced. “We are deeply saddened by the death of the animal; however, since the incident did not occur on Southern Union property, the college will defer to the appropriate authorities for investigation and action,” they said.