The Lincoln County Attorney’s Office on Monday filed four felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and two counts of cruelty to animals, one a misdemeanor and the other a felony, against Lincoln County kennel owner Cathie Warren, 61 (aka Cathie Odegaard, Cathie Warren Odegaard, Cathie Odegaard Warren). According to her website, Adonai Rare Poodles, Warren breeds and sells Miniature Poodles, Standard Poodles, Borzoi and Russian Wolfhounds.
If convicted she faces a maximum nine years imprisonment and $11,000 in fines. Her arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 29.
The county attorney also included 11 alternative charges, all cruelty to animals – second or subsequent offense, and each a felony.
Lincoln County officials on Aug. 2 removed 53 dogs, six donkeys and 60 parakeets from Warren’s property.
The case’s nine-page affidavit describes visits to Warren’s property over the past five months, where Lincoln County Animal Control, Sheriff’s Office and a Whitefish veterinary technician reported finding 59 animals in alleged conditions that warranted removal. According to Warren and the sheriff’s department, the 60 birds were removed voluntarily from Warren’s property.
According to court documents, a second veterinarian, Dr. Fred Conkel of Westgate Animal Clinic in Libby completed a second examination on the donkeys two days after the removal effort. In the report, Conkel said that each donkey had poor health, excessively long hooves and other medical issues.
Lincoln County Animal Control has been holding the animals at the Libby and Eureka facilities during the past three weeks.
Warren has disputed the animal cruelty claims since Aug. 2, the day her 53 dogs, six donkeys and 60 parakeets were taken from her home just outside city limits. Warren said she believes the Humane Society of the United States orchestrated the removal in order to eliminate all animal breeders in the country.
Warren did not return calls for comment made by The Western News after charges were filed.
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| Warren aka Odegaard posted this photo saying there was nothing wrong w/this donkey other than it needing a hoof trim |
In the past three weeks, Warren has been building a network of support from past clients who have purchased her dogs, as well as people who say they have been targeted by the Humane Society of the United States for dog breeding.
Among those in support of Warren is Gordon Sullivan, Warren’s neighbor.
Sullivan, recently diagnosed with bone cancer, said that Warren donated a service poodle to him six months ago, about a month before the animal removal.
Please, Mr. Sullivan show us the proof that this Poodle is an actual trained service dog and not just an "emotional therapy" pet.
Sullivan said Warren’s dogs have previously received visits from the animal control department for noise complaints, one called in by his wife. He said being so close to the hills outside Libby, bears and other animals often come down to feed on the apple trees, prompting the dogs to bark.
As for the dogs’ health, Sullivan said he’s seen dogs that have been beaten or mistreated, and Warren’s dogs don’t exhibit the same tone of disparity.
No one is saying that these dogs are being beaten, Mr. Sullivan. The authorities are saying that she neglected them. There's a difference.
Sullivan said in a small neighborhood like his and Warren’s, someone would have turned her in a long time ago if they suspected any animal cruelty.
“I can see if a person is outwardly abusing animals and they would get turned in by their local neighbors. If it’s a bonafide deal, I’d be the first one to arm myself and do something about it,” he said.
Warren’s arraignment is set for Aug. 29 at 9:30 a.m.
After being charged, Warren immediately joined the Calvary Group, whose belief according to animal welfare groups, is that animals are private property and you can do whatever you want to them. They don't believe, per animal rescue groups, that "humane living conditions" should apply to animals. They also push the agenda that the ASPCA, HSUS, shelters, and law enforcement agencies around the country only seize animals from owners in order to be able to "sell" the animals themselves.
The Calvary Group welcome letter:
"Animal rights activists use FALSE CLAIMS OF ANIMAL ABUSE and anonymous tips lines to convince over zealous prosecutors and sympathetic judges to issue warrants when, in most cases, no facts or actual witnessed evidence is provided to obtain the warrant.
"As a result, animal owners and animal related businesses live with the DAILY TERROR that... law enforcement [will arrive] at their door and [seize their animals] without due process. Animal owners are then exposed to EXTRAVAGANT ANIMAL CARE BONDS and charges for temporary animal care, possible sterilization of HIGH VALUE BREEDING STOCK, or euthanization of their animals.
"Our sincere hope is that Americans wake up before it's too late, and recognize that any individual or entity operating to usurp ownership of private property can and must be stopped..."
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CALVARY GROUP
The Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC) has disciplined The Alliance for Truth, a campaign committee that fought against the passage of Prop B, the puppy mill ballot initiative. The Alliance for Truth is an affiliate of the Cavalry Group.
The MEC additionally disciplined the treasurer of The Alliance for Truth, Mark Patterson, and imposed fees against them both in the amount of $61,500. This action is in response to a multitude of alleged violations regarding the disclosure of campaign finances used in their failed attempt to defeat Prop B.
Read the Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC) filing HERE.
"The Alliance for Truth, a supposed nonprofit affiliate of The Cavalry Group, never filed as a nonprofit and failed to report on over $10,000 in contributions and $40,000 of expenditures. The Commission also found Patterson used the Alliance for Truth to pay for $45,300 in unspecified 'consulting services' to the Cavalry Group, himself and into his company Crosswater Properties, L.LC." - Missouri Times
You don't have to be a vegan or a vegetarian to demand that animals being raised for human consumption (eggs, meat, milk) and products (leather, wool, etc.) are treated humanely before slaughter - and to demand that the slaughter is humane and quick.
The Calvary Group, of course, quickly posted a blog story complaining that "Ten days ago, Sheriff Roby Bowe invited out of state vegan animal rights extremists to fly into little Libby and conduct an illegal operation against a local highly respected poodle breeder and steal all of her valuable purebred dogs. With the Sheriff giving away the keys to his office, private vigilantes from as far away as Florida with a vendetta against puppies, flew in for the party.
"The Sheriff's actions also violate the federal Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) which makes it a crime to destroy an animal related business for ideology reasons.
"Sheriff Roby Bowe is in violation of Montana's newly reformed civil asset forfeiture laws. Under the law, he is required to get a criminal conviction first before he could take and keep any property owned by Cathie Warren, and this includes animals which are property under the law. Sheriff Roby Bowe is the lawbreaker not Cathie Warren and the taxpayers of Libby, Montana need to hold him accountable for his actions."
This is, of course, incorrect. Montana's civil asset forfeiture law simply says that there must be a CONVICTION before going through PERMANENT forfeiture proceedings. Nothing has been forfeited at this point. The animals are being held while Cathie Warren aka Cathie Odegaard has her case go through the criminal court system. Should she be found not guilty, the seized animals would be returned to her.
(The Western News - Aug 26, 2016)
Earlier:
Cathie Warren Odegaard was CONVICTED (04/22/17) by jury trial of six county of animal cruelty and two counts of aggravated animal crueltyS. She was represented by a PUBLIC defender, the costs being paid for by Lincoln County taxpayers.
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