Sunday, November 9, 2014

Fayette County woman arrested on animal cruelty charges again

WEST VIRGINIA -- After allegedly abandoning several dogs at a home, a Fayette County woman, who police say is employed at the Fayette County Animal Control Center, has been arrested for a second time on animal cruelty charges, according to a press release from the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.

The Fayette County 911 Center received a call that several dogs had been abandoned at the Rosedale Mobile Home Park in Oak Hill. When Fayette County Animal Control Officer Russell Parker and Deputy R.D. Stephens arrived at the home, they could hear dogs barking inside the home, but couldn’t reach the homeowner, identified after investigation as Crystal Lowery of Oak Hill.

Neighbors said no one lived in the home, but a woman came by every day to visit.

Once the officers got inside the home, they found one dog that was “severely malnourished,” the release said. There was no food or water for the animals penned inside the home.

The officers took custody of both dogs.

When Stephens checked Lowery’s background, he saw that she is employed at the Fayette County Animal Control Center, and had previously been charged with animal cruelty and, on Aug. 6, had entered into a pre-trial diversion agreement on that charge in Fayette County Magistrate Court.

One of the conditions of the agreement was that Lowery would not maintain ownership of any animals while diversion agreement was in effect.

Based on the diversion agreement, as well as the neglect and maltreatment of the animals discovered Thursday, Stephens filed a criminal complaint in Magistrate Court charging Lowery with two counts of animal cruelty. Lowery was arrested Friday morning, was arraigned and was released on a $2,500 bond, according to the press release.

“Although the New River Humane Society receives substantial funding from Fayette County to assist in the operation of the Fayette County Animal Control Center at Beckwith, the individuals employed at this Animal Control Center are not employees of Fayette County,” Sheriff Steve Kessler said. “All of the individuals employed at this Animal Control Center are employees of the New River Humane Society.

“The county administration does not play any role in screening or employing any of these individuals or in determining their suitability for continued employment at this Animal Control Center.”

(Beckley Register-Herald - November 8, 2014)

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