After a day-long hearing in Kent County Circuit Court on Tuesday, Aug. 12, Judge James Robert Redford ruled that the county acted appropriately in seizing the dogs from the home where Kimberly Savino kept the animals.
“Clearly, these animals have been neglected,” said Redford after listening to evidence from the prosecution regarding the conditions in which the dogs were discovered on June 27 at the home in the 2300 block of Oakwood Avenue NE.
Redford described the conditions as “absolutely filthy and disgusting in nature.”
Savino testified during the two-day hearing where Kent County sought to seize the 37 dogs that were owned by the defendant. Savino also faces separate criminal charges of animal cruelty.
Redford’s decision is designed to allow Savino to maintain ownership of the dogs as the criminal case makes its way through the criminal court system. The $106,430 figure is the judge’s determination of the county’s cost to maintain the animals through Nov. 30.
If Savino is convicted, she would lose custody of the dogs. If the case has not been heard at that point, the judge said he would consider assigning more costs to Savino.
 |
| Elizabeth Gorz, with the Kent Co. Prosecutors office, questions Kimberly Savino during the dog forfeiture hearing before Judge Robert Redford at the Kent County courthouse in Grand Rapids, Mich. Tuesday, August 12, 2014. The hearing is to determine if Savino should have the right to keep the 39 dogs taken from her home by Kent County Animal Control. (Chris Clark | MLive.com) |
 |
| Kimberly Savino |
Redford said after hearing witnesses that included the county’s animal control investigator, the animal shelter veterinarian and the defendant, as well as seeing pictures and videos that showed the condition of the dogs and the house where they were kept, he was convinced to nearly beyond a reasonable doubt that the animals were neglected.
Redford will also oversee the pending criminal case if it makes it to felony court.
Animal shelter personnel testified that the smell emanating from the home was “overpowering” and that the animals were kept in travel containers stacked on top of each other that in many cases kept the animals from being able to stand up all the way. The dogs included breeds from toy poodles to Saint Bernards.
The animals were also soaked with urine and feces and had skin problems, according to testimony.
Most also suffered from advanced dental neglect, shelter officials said.
County personnel said the cages were caked with feces and the hinges were rusted from urine.
Savino testified that she was taking in animals that were already sick and that no one else wanted, a practice she had started in suburban Boston before coming to Grand Rapids specifically because the city had no prevision restricting the number of animals that could be kept in a residential home.
Brugnoli argued that the condition of the dogs was a result of neglect visited on the dogs by the husband of the homeowner where his client lived. The attorney said that Ryen Strotheide was set to watch the dogs for four days at the end of May when Savino and his wife, Susan Kay Strotheide, went away on a trip.
The attorney said that Ryen Strotheide refused to feed, water and care for the dogs during that time, leading to the deterioration of already fragile animals, two of which died.
 |
| Attorney Joseph Brugnoli represents Kimberly Savino during the dog forfeiture hearing Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at the Kent County courthouse in Grand Rapids, Mich. The hearing is to determine if Savino should have the right to keep the 39 dogs taken from her home by Kent County Animal Control. (Chris Clark | MLive.com) |
He said Strotheide did this because he was jealous of the relationship between the women and he called animal control only after he was informed by his wife that she was divorcing him.
If Savino does not post the money, the dogs could be adopted out, likely with the help of other agencies, according to shelter officials.
Savino is charged with cruelty to animals, which has a potential maximum penalty of two years in prison. She is free on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond.
She faces a probable cause hearing Aug. 28 in Grand Rapids District Court.
(MLive - August 12, 2014)
Earlier:
No comments:
Post a Comment