New York: Reynaldo Bonilla, 40, accused of cockfighting, abusing animals

ISLIP, LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK -- Police searching for drugs at a home in New York discovered more than 60 caged roosters, a mistreated pit bull, a pheasant and equipment used to stage illegal cockfighting matches.

Officers called in the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and arrested 40-year-old Reynaldo Bonilla, who was to be arraigned on charges including animal cruelty.

The roosters were trained for cockfighting and will have to be euthanized, because they can't be rehabilitated and were likely injected with steroids and other chemicals, Suffolk County SPCA Chief Roy Gross said.

Why can dog fighting Pit Bulls supposedly be "rehabilitated", but a chicken can't? Answer: Pit Bull lobbyists.

Also stored on the property were a fighting ring, razor blade-like spurs that are attached to the roosters when they fight and "little boxing gloves" that protect the birds when they train, he said.

"The call it a blood sport," Gross said. Spectators who bet on the fights "want to see the birds cutting each other, seeing the blood, and generally they bleed out. It's barbaric. They generally fight to the death," he said.

Investigators haven't determined if fights were staged at the property, or if the birds were only being housed there in the hamlet of Brentwood on Long Island, he added.

The name of Bonilla's attorney wasn't immediately available. If convicted, he will be placed on an animal abuse registry that allows authorities to track his whereabouts.

(ABC7NY - February 11, 2018)

United Kingdom: Former Horncastle mayor Pamela Crisp-Beard and her daughter Maria Crisp-Beard deny their 50+ animals were being hoarded in horrific conditions

UNITED KINGDOM -- A former Mayor of Horncastle and her daughter kept animals in such unhygienic and squalid conditions that a vet judged they would likely suffer if they continued to stay there, a court heard.

Pamela Crisp-Beard and her daughter Maria Crisp-Beard appeared at Skegness Magistrates Court as a trial continued into six offences all relating to animal welfare. They deny all the allegations.

  

Pamela Crisp-Beard was Mayor of Horncastle between May 1997 and May 1998 and was a town councillor until 2011.

The charges relate to over 50 animals including 15 rabbits, a golden pheasant, two guinea pigs, five mice, two rats, a cat, two dogs, four ducks, a goose and 22 chickens.

The court heard that conditions at the Linden Road two-story house were so bad there was a strong smell of feces and urine.

It was said the house was dark, cold and cluttered with cages and hutches stacked on top of each other. Animal feces was even found on cutlery, the magistrates were told.

It was said many of the animals did not have reasonable access to food, they were living on dirty straw and that where water was provided it was dirty.

RSPCA inspectors first visited the property on January 16 this year where the animals were seen and five animal warning notices were issued.

RSPCA inspector Rebecca Lowe told the court: “It was completely cluttered. There was not much general walking space, there were things about everywhere. The premises was not clean. There was a smell from the front door of ammonia and feces.”

Ms Lowe said cockerels had been placed in cat baskets stacked on top of each other.

She said: “We asked to remove them immediately and take them outside. I saw three cockerels come out of one of the baskets. Cat baskets are not suitable for one cockerel let alone three.”

The RSPCA returned to the property on January 29 but were told to return the next day.

They returned on January 30 accompanied by two police officers.

Ms Lowe said the conditions did not look any different apart from some cat baskets had been removed from the kitchen, some animals had clean straw but piled on dirty straw and the pheasant had been moved from the utility room to a shed.

Annaliese Leslie, who at the time was working for Marshlands Vets in Boston, was called to assess the animals.

Based on her report that the animals would suffer if they continued to stay there, the animals were seized by police.

Prosecuting for the RSPCA, Beris Brickles, asked Miss Leslie on the suitability of conditions for the animals.

Annaliese Leslie, who at the time was working for Marshlands Vets in Boston, was called to assess the animals.

Based on her report that the animals would suffer if they continued to stay there, the animals were seized by police.

Prosecuting for the RSPCA, Beris Brickles, asked Miss Leslie on the suitability of conditions for the animals.

She told the court one shed containing five roaming rabbits was knee-deep in compacted faeces.

She said: “It was very, very deep compacted feces - It was knee deep. The rabbits had created a network of tunnels through this. You had to take a step up to get into the shed. It was about 18 inches deep I would say.”

Speaking about the pheasant she said the bird was extremely dirty which was not natural. She said: “It would need a bath over some time to help get himself clean.”

The court heard the RSPCA inspectors had struggled to identify the bird.

The vet added: “The house was very dark, dirty and there was extreme level of clutter. Surfaces were dirty and there was cutlery with animal faeces.”

The court heard a number of the rabbits were underweight and two had signs of urine scald (urine burn) where their fur was coming out.

Miss Leslie told the court this could have been prevented from being in a clean environment.

The rabbits had since put on weight after being rescued.

She said a cat was found to be greasy and dirty and was stained from urine.

She said: “For him to be exposed to so much dirt and feces to be dyed by it, than that is a long time issue.”

The court also heard a rat was living in a cage smaller than its body length.

Ms Leslie said there was plenty of advice available from vets, the RSPCA and the Defra code of conduct for people to get advice on the best conditions for their pets.

 

In cross examination, Ruth Harrop questioned the access to clean water issue stating that some animals choose to drink outside.

The court heard none of the animals were found to be dehydrated and apart from two rabbits there was no clinical concern found in the other animals.

A parrot was the only animal not seized. Two ferrets had been rehomed by the Crisp-Beards by the time of the RSPCA’s final visit.

The case was adjourned until Tuesday when the defence case will be heard.

Pamela Crisp-Beard also faces two charges of being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control in a public place.

(Lincolnshire Echo - Dec 13, 2014)

Authorities confiscate hundreds of animals near Lawtell

LOUISIANA --From the outside, the trailer that serves as Donald James LaFluer’s home in a rural area about three miles south of Lawtell offers an attractive appearance.

Surrounded by flowering trees, it is almost invisible from the road. Closer to the house, there are scores of pots filled with flowers and tropical plants, interspersed with concrete statues.

 

 

But with every step closer, the smell overwhelms the outward appearance of beauty.

On Friday, St. Landry Parish deputies charged LaFleur, 61, of 2572 Louisiana 752, Lawtell, with animal cruelty after officials located hundreds of animals, primarily birds, living in terrible conditions.

(Photo: Freddie Herpin/Gannett Louisiana)

“The conditions are deplorable,” said Brooks Davis, with St. Landry Parish Animal Control, as she and dozens of officers with the parish shelter, the sheriff’s office, Fire District III and other agencies hauled out cage after cage.

Each was filled to the brim with chickens, ducks and geese, as well as exotic birds such as peacocks, parrots, grouse, parakeets and even pheasants.

Most of the workers wore surgical masks because of the overwhelming stench.

“It was gross. It was not good for the animals, but I don’t know how he could stand it himself,” Davis said. She compared the situation in the house to that of a hoarder, with narrow walkways allowing passage through piles of trash and waste.

Davis said about 20 dogs shared the trailer with LaFleur. She said it appeared that nobody had cleaned the animal waste in a long time.

“The floor was like a thick mat of papier-maché,” she said, adding it appeared that LaFleur had spread paper on the floor to catch the animal waste.

But it seemed to her that as each layer had become soaked and saturated, LaFleur would simply add another layer of paper to the top of the pile.

The animal control officer’s main concern was with the birds of all varieties and sizes.

“Those chickens were eating each other. That’s how crowded they were,” said Davis.

She estimated that crews had removed at least 1,000 birds from the property “if you count all the little ones. A lot of chickens have just hatched.”

Parish President Bill Fontenot, who was assisting with the roundup, said he wasn’t sure about that.

“But hundreds for sure,” he said.

Fontenot said selling birds is LaFleur’s business. But the man’s relatives told Fontenot not many were selling, so their numbers just kept increasing.

As soon as officers arrived Friday morning to serve a warrant, Fontenot said LaFleur barricaded himself in the house, but deputies eventually convinced him to come out.

“He has been charged with animal cruelty, but he doesn’t see it as that,” said Fontenot.

Donald LaFleur

 He said LaFleur didn’t understand what all the commotion was about.

[It doesn't matter if he agrees with the law or if he 'doesn't understand' why there are laws to protect animals. It's not a matter of him not comprehending the law. It's a matter of him not agreeing with the laws that protect animals and he refuses to abide by them.]

Although authorities have booked LaFleur into the parish jail, Fontenot said a more appropriate response may be to help him get psychiatric help.

This is not LaFleur’s first animal cruelty charge. He has been arrested multiple times in the past for his alleged treatment of exotic birds and dogs.

In all cases, he was raising the animals for sale.

(Monroe News Star - Aug 17, 2014)

After finding 18 dead animals found at Santa's Land, they leave the rest of the animals behind

MASSACHUSETTS -- Following the discovery by Windham County Sheriff's Department of 18 dead animals at Santa's Land, owner, Lillian Billewicz, 55, and Brian Deistler, animal caretaker, were both cited for animal cruelty.

They are scheduled to appear in court on April 29 to answer to the charge.

Windham County Sheriff Keith Clark said his deputies found 16 dead deer, as well as a dead pheasant and a pot-bellied pig when they arrived at the theme park on Route 5 Saturday.

There were also four deer unaccounted for, Clark said, adding all of the deer carcasses were found in one area.

The Windham County Sheriff's Department conducted a search of Santa's Land after Deputy Trevor Dickerman went there Friday to look for Deistler, who had lost his license plate in a minor traffic accident. Dickerman went to Santa's Land looking for Deistler to return the plate.

"When he was there Friday things just didn't look right," Clark said.

Windham County Sheriff deputies arrived at around 5 p.m. Saturday, assisted by Putney Animal Control Officer Henry Farnum and Putney Health Officer Tom Goddard.

Farnum declined to comment on the case Monday.

A veterinarian was also called in to assess the situation. The vet established a feeding and care plan and Billewicz will be allowed to continue housing the rest of the surviving animals, which include donkeys, ponies and goats.

"A care and feeding plan has been developed. At this point we are comfortable allowing the owner to keep the animals if the proper care is provided," Clark said. "There will be additional follow up to make sure the animals are cared for from this point forward."

Clark said Billewicz and Deistler will also likely receive civil tickets for animal cruelty and it will be up to the Windham County State's Attorney office to decide what charges will be filed.

Billewicz, who lives in Fairhaven, was not on the premises Saturday, but she did arrive at Santa's Land Sunday and is addressing the situation. She did not respond to an e-mail message from the Reformer on Monday morning.

On the Santa's Land Facebook page Billewicz said staff at the park knew about the dead deer and called in a veterinarian. She also said following the raid that the vet only recommended that the donkeys and ponies should have their hooves checked, and that the ponies should have a dental exam.

"The harshness of the winter has taken its toll but please be assured all animals are being fed, watered and sheltered appropriately," Billewicz wrote on Facebook. "We will continue to keep everyone informed about what transpires."

Billewicz purchased the Putney roadside animal and theme park this summer and opened it in July.

Santa's Land was open, mostly on weekends, up until Christmas. Billewicz filed a permit application with the Putney Development Review Board this winter to re-open the Igloo Restaurant, which had been closed for a number of years. Billewicz announced earlier this year that Santa's Land would open for the season on May 24.

Santa's Land opened in 1957 and has had a number of different owners through the years.

The Windham County Sheriff's Department is looking for additional information on the conditions of the animals at Santa's Land. Anyone who can offer information is asked to call the department at 802-365-4942.

In an unrelated case, Deistler was arrested on Feb. 4 by the Bellows Falls Police Department, allegedly in possession of 20 bags of heroin. He has not yet been arraigned.
(Berkshire Eagle - March 3, 2014)