The reporting party an employee of Fitness One reported to officers that there was a red Jeep Cherokee with Colorado plates in the parking lot with a U-Haul trailer attached to it. The reporting party indicated that there might be a dog inside the trailer. Dispatch had advised the responding officers that the vehicle was on a BOLO (Be On the look Out) list from Colorado. The BOLO vehicle had been involved in a robbery of a pharmacy in Colorado and the suspect left the scene in a red Cherokee hauling a U-Haul trailer.
Upon arrival, officers observed the red Cherokee with Colorado plates packed from the floor to the ceiling with personal items. Reports indicate that it looked as though someone had been living inside the vehicle. The trailer had California plates on it and reports indicated that they were clear National Crime Information Center checks for stolen.
Casper Police officers observed a cat inside the Cherokee barely visible from the personal items. The cat did appear to be alive and moved around inside the vehicle. The vehicle had a strong odor of cat urine. The officer did not see any water or food available for the cat.
From reports, officers did not detect any sound or movement coming from the trailer, but reports state that there was an overwhelming smell of rotting or decaying flesh consistent with the smell that a deceased body, human, or animal that gives off. Officers requested other officers and Metro Animal Control to respond to the scene.
Officers decided that due to a lack of a registered owner present and the report that the trailer possibly contained a dog and a strong odor of decaying flesh, there was sufficient exigency to open the trailer and look inside.
From Casper Police Department reports, officers un-lacked the back door and raised the door several inches, just enough to get down on their hands and knees and peek inside.
Once the door was slightly opened, officers could hear what sounded like at least one dog and most likely numerous dogs, whining and crying. Officers also saw a wire type kennel crate that contained numerous dogs that appeared to be Siberian Huskies. Officers closed the door and waited for Casper Police Sergeant and Metro Animal Control to arrive.
Upon further investigation, Casper Police Sergeant Dundas was Metro Animal Control were briefed by officers about the situation and they opened the door to the trailer. Casper Police reports indicated that the scene inside the trailer could only be described as horrific. Reports indicate that there were two wire kennel crates closest to the rear of the trailer stacked on top of each other. Behind those crates were two more similarly stacked. All four crates contained Siberian huskies ranging from puppies to adult dogs.
CPD reports indicate that the top crates were so full of urine and feces that it was flowing down on top of the lower dogs.
All the dogs, totaling twelve were covered in urine and feces. There was no water of any kind present and all of the food in the crates had been ruined by the dogs' waste. CPD reports indicate that all of the dogs appeared to be weak and malnourished. All the dogs were whining and crying.
The dogs and crates were unloaded and sent with Metro Animal Control for much-needed care.
Reports indicate that officers noticed one small puppy inside the front bottom kennel lying in the bottom of the kennel. From the position of the dog's neck, officers believed that the dog had a broken neck. It was obvious to officers that the dog was gravely injured.
Reports indicate that officers moved the dog to a safe location and euthanized it.
Officers removed all four crates and secured the eleven of twelve dogs and secured them with Metro Animal Control. They then were able to unlock the vehicle and remove and secure the cat with Metro Animal Control. Reports indicate that they found no immunization records for the animals and found nothing that indicated the animals had been registered or licensed with Metro Animal Control as required by law.
Officers then checked the registration of the vehicle and learned that the vehicle was registered to 49-year-old Georgia L. Moody from Livermore, Colo. Reports indicate that a piece of paper was found in the car that indicated Moody had had a recent interview with Olive Garden Restaurant.
Officers made contact with Moody and she was arrested and taken into custody for 13 counts of animal cruelty, 13 counts of failure to license, thirteen counts of failure to immunize, and one count of running a kennel or cattery without a license.
Moody will meet for her initial appearance at the Townsend Justice Center on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
Due to the fact that this case is still being investigated Metro Animal Control declined to comment on the status of the dogs and cat at this time.
(KTVQ Billings News - Feb 17, 2015)
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