Bruce Ray Pfeifer, 60, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Nelson County General District Court to 11 counts of animal cruelty and nine counts of failure to bury dead animals, all misdemeanors. The charges came after a search warrant was executed in 2011 at Pfeifer’s home on Rockfish Valley Highway in Afton.
Pfeifer fled the state four years ago after warrants were served on him, Nelson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony Martin said Wednesday.
“He didn’t surface until around Thanksgiving,” he said.
Found and arrested in Georgia, prosecutors had Pfeifer extradited to Nelson County and he has been in custody since, Martin said.
Nelson County animal control officers received reports of dead animals at Pfeifer’s property in March 2011, according to court records. In a search warrant affidavit, Deputy Carla Thompson wrote she went to the home and “found at least three dead dogs and there was also a foul odor around the property.”
Thompson also saw several live dogs in kennels and two emaciated dogs running loose on the property. In the search warrant return, Thompson listed three dead dogs lying in kennels beside Pfeifer’s home. Nine live dogs were seized.
Robin Kitts Pfeifer, the defendant’s wife, was arrested in 2011 and convicted of five counts of animal cruelty, five counts of improper care of a companion animal and nine counts of failure to bury or cremate animal remains.
She received a 12-month suspended sentence and was ordered to pay more than $1,000 in fines.
Martin said the couple had a farm in Afton and months prior to the charges had an issue with their septic system, which caused them to stay in Waynesboro. During this time, there was apparent miscommunication between the two about who was supposed to be caring for the animals, Martin said.
“There are some dogs inside who didn’t get food and water,” Martin said. “And there were feces everywhere.”
The county received tips from residents who reported seeing dogs not moving and bones on the property, he said.
“It was more of a neglect case,” Martin said.
Judge Sam Eggleston III sentenced Bruce Pfeifer to one year in jail and suspended the time after four months served. Since the defendant is credited with time served, Martin said his jail time would be up in the near future and he is ordered to pay the county $3,480 in joint fines with Robin Pfeifer.
Martin said Bruce Pfeifer has one year to pay the fines. He also was fined $900 on the nine counts of failing to bury dead animals and is court ordered to not own any animals, the prosecutor said.
(Lynchburg News and Advance - Jan 20, 2015)
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