Rhode Island: Rescued Smithfield dogs waiting for court decision; Michael Williams and Michael Ramos each charged with 25 counts of Animal Cruelty

RHODE ISLAND -- The Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is reporting that the English Bulldogs and French bulldogs rescued on March 20 from a Smithfield home at 189 Pleasant View Ave. are not available for adoption or foster care due to pending court proceedings.

 

 

The rescued animals included more than 25 dogs and puppies, more than 100 snakes, and rats. They are all in the custody of Smithfield Animal Control and shelters in North Providence and Burrillville.

Thomas Taylor, Smithfield Animal Control Warden, said the local shelter took in a total of eight dogs, four of which are puppies. The RISPCA took in four pregnant females, according to Taylor, because they have more resources to care for the dogs.

 

 

 

Until a decision is made in the case, the dogs will remain in the custody of animal control and the RISPCA, but Taylor said he hopes ownership of the animals is relinquished and the pups can go to proper, caring homes.

“We’re going to wait it out, it all depends on the judges and what they decided. We’ll see if a judge can get them to hand them over,” Taylor said.

 

 

Two arrests were made in the case, charging Michael Williams (aka Mike Williams, Omar Williams) and Michael Ramos (aka Noel Ramos, Mike Ramos) each with 25 counts of unnecessary cruelty to animals and conspiracy, according to Taylor. Reports that the dogs were standing in their own waste were made following the rescue, and the house was condemned.

Taylor refers to the specialized breed as “Little Bulldozers,” and said each dog has a great temperament in spite of their history. He estimated the puppies would have sold for between $2,500 and $3,500.

 

 

Adoption applications are not being accepted at this time, but Taylor said calls inquiring for the pups have not stopped since the arrests. He said until a decision is made, he can’t hold the dogs for adoption either.

Thankfully, he said, the community supported the shelter, and food and monetary donations have not stopped. He asked that any checks be made out to the RISPCA, as they are handling the costs of any veterinary services the animals receive.

“We’re all working together, all the local shelters are working together on this one,” he said.

He said a situation such as this brings out the best in the community, and the shelter is in good shape when it comes to collars and leashes.

Smithfield held an emergency animal shelter supply drive last Saturday, March 24, collecting cleaning supplies, pet food, dog shampoo, leashes, and collars. Taylor said the community “really helped us out,” and it was a great effort.

 

 

(Valley Breeze - March 28, 2018)

Earlier:

• Rhode Island: Animal control removes dogs, rats and snakes from Smithfield home
• Rhode Island: Animal cruelty suspect Michael Williams was already on probation for animal cruelty

Rhode Island: Animal cruelty suspect Michael Williams was already on probation for animal cruelty

SMITHFIELD, RHODE ISLAND -- One of two men charged with keeping more than two dozen dogs in squalid conditions at a Smithfield home faced a judge Thursday.

Michael Williams (aka Mike Williams, Omar Williams), 34, was arraigned on 25 counts of animal cruelty but the judge said the lead charge against him was growing marijuana with an expired permit.

He was ordered held without bail for violating the terms of his probation, which stemmed from a similar arrest last year.

Investigators on Tuesday removed 25 dogs, mainly English Bulldogs and French Bulldogs, from Williams' home at 189 Pleasant View Avenue.

The Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA) said it was alerted to the situation by a delivery person. Smithfield police said there was a strong smell of feces and urine upon entering the home.

In addition, dozens of rare snakes and more than 300 rats were discovered in the basement of a shed on the property.

 

 

 

Williams was arrested last year on 11 counts of animal cruelty - about 30 dogs were seized at the time - but for some reason the prosecutor's office didn't bother to include "not to own animals" as part of his plea agreement so he wasn't barred from having animals.

And apparently they actually returned some of the seized dogs that he's accused of abusing.

Officials said some of the dogs removed on Tuesday were among the ones seized last year when Williams was charged with Animal Cruelty for the first time.

Investigators believe Williams was breeding the animals to sell. The dogs are now recovering at the RISPCA and various municipal shelters.

 

 

 

 

 

"We got an update in court that one of the dogs that's in the care of another agency is being brought in for surgery this morning, so they did have some pretty significant health issues," RISPCA Special Agent Earl Newman said.

Williams has so far relinquished the rights to four pets, according to Newman.

The second man arrested, Michael Ramos (aka Noel Ramos, Mike Ramos, Michael Noel Ramos), 35, was charged with 25 counts of animal cruelty as well as one count of conspiracy.

As a first offender, he posted bail and was released the night of his arrest. He's due back in court April 3 for arraignment.

 

 

 

(WPRI - March 22, 2018)

Earlier:

• Rhode Island: Animal control removes dogs, rats and snakes from Smithfield home

Rhode Island: Animal control removes dogs, rats and snakes from Smithfield home - same house raided last year

RHODE ISLAND -- The Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and animal control officers from several communities removed about two dozen dogs from a home in Smithfield on Tuesday.

The RISPCA said rescuers took 25 to 30 dogs from 189 Pleasant View Avenue. A truck was brought in later to cart away hundreds of snakes and rats. The house was condemned.

Police also took away two men in handcuffs, including Michael Williams (aka Mike Williams, Omar Williams) and Michael Ramos (aka Noel Ramos, Mike Ramos). They were facing animal cruelty charges.

Animal control officers from North Providence, Smithfield, Glocester and Burrillville assisted with the removal of the dogs, which included English Bulldogs and bulldog-mix breeds.

"A number of the dogs were living in crates that were filled with accumulated feces, urine. They were standing in feces. The ammonia level was off the charts. It was very difficult for us to be in there," Joe Warzycha of RISPCA said.

The RISPCA said the men could also face breeding and town violations since they had more than three dogs.

Williams is no stranger to the RISPCA.

 

 

 

ANIMALS SEIZED FROM SAME HOUSE LAST YEAR (!)

The organization was at the home on Pleasant View Avenue last year and took out about 30 dogs. Williams was charged with animal cruelty then.

"We didn't know there were going to be this many today, but he has a history of having a large number of dogs in the house," Warzycha said.

But they found more than dogs this time.

Authorities confiscated hundreds of snakes, possibly worth tens of thousands of dollars if not more, and hundreds of rats, which were presumably bred to feed to the snakes. They also seized several lizards.

“There's no cruelty issues there, but the animals are being seized for safekeeping,” Warzycha said.

 

 

Pure Paradise Pets, a pet store in Johnston, was called in to remove all of them.

"There's geckos in the rack behind you. There's snakes right behind you on the floor in the tubs," Jim Arnold, who owns the pet shop, told NBC 10 News. "We've been moving stuff for 10 hours."

Arnold is providing all the reptiles and rats a place to live until the men go through their due process. The snakes won't be sold or up for adoption quite yet.

"This is more of a courtesy from one snake keeper to another snake keeper," Arnold said, adding that he wants to keep the snakes comfortable and happy.

Williams and Ramos are due in court Wednesday.

 

Authorities said Williams is still on probation from the Animal Cruelty charges from last year.

Given Williams' history, authorities don't want these or any other animals to return.

“He was permitted to have animals [after the last time he was charged with animal cruelty], which we're hoping doesn't happen this time around,” Warzycha said.

 

 

(Turnto10 - March 20, 2018)

New Mexico: Thirteen-time convicted felon Shaun Anaya will spend at least 8 months in jail for beating and torturing a puppy with power tools

NEW MEXICO -- This afternoon, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced that Shaun Anaya, who was on probation for an Office of the Attorney General case and is a thirteen-time convicted felon, was found by Second Judicial District Judge Angela Jewell to have violated his probation for committing extreme cruelty to animals and possession of marijuana.

The Office of Attorney General Hector Balderas asked Judge Jewell to impose the maximum penalty of 1,421 days in prison which included habitual enhancements.

Anaya was sentenced to two years in the Department of Corrections for the violations.

Likely he'll only serve a 1/3 of that "with good behavior" so assume he'll be out in 8 months' time.

 

"Violence against animals is so many times directly linked to domestic violence and can never be discounted," said Attorney General Balderas. "My office is committed to holding violent, repeat offenders accountable."

Shaun Anaya was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty in June of 2017 when he was accused of brutally beating and mutilating a Pit Bull puppy with power tools in the backseat of his car on June 1, 2017, leaving the three-month-old dog bloody, with a broken tooth and other injuries.

Anaya has denied hurting the puppy, claiming a group of kids injured it.

“I know you’re telling me you didn’t, but all of the evidence, physical testimony, eye-witness, ear-witness says that this happened, “said Judge Jewell.

HORRIFIC DETAILS FROM THE POLICE REPORT:

On June 1, 2017, at approximately 2358 hours (1158pm), I was dispatched to the alley just south of ______ in response to a call about an animal.

Caller advised he could see an individual beating his dog in a vehicle. He could see the individual hitting the dog and throwing it around the vehicle. While en route, Dispatch advised that the caller could still hear the dog screaming.

Further remarks just as I was arriving advised the man was standing at the rear of the vehicle with the tailgate up and the caller could hear a power tool.

I arrived and parked just west of the alley and approached on foot.

From approximately 40 feet away I saw a man, later identified as SHAUN ANAYA, standing at the tailgate of a vehicle with the tailgate open. He was moving his hands and appeared to be working on something in the tailgate.

I heard a dog yelping and screaming in agony. I began walking towards him and got within 30 feet and could see he was doing something to a small dog.

I shined my flashlight at him and he quickly stopped what he was doing and started trying to clean up the area. As soon as he stopped the dog immediately stopped yelping.

Shaun said, "Can you get your flashlight out of my face?"

I observed blood on several areas of the dog's fur. I observed blood all over the carpeted area in the rear of the car and smeared on the inside of the back right window. I observed dog feces in several areas of the back of the vehicle and on a power saw on the blade and on the handle.

The passenger door was open and I observed blood on the seat and blood smeared on the door. There was fresh blood spatter all over the dash. I observed the small puppy had swollen eyes and was very sluggish. I observed blood in his mouth and saw he had a broken tooth on the right side of his mouth.

I spoke with the caller, Derrick Sanders, who told me he was woken up by a dog yelping. He looked out his window and observed SHAUN ANAYA outside the open front passenger door. He was punching the dog who was in the front passenger seat repeatedly. He then threw the dog to the rear of the vehicle. He walked back to the rear and the dog started yelping again. At this time, Derrick heard what sounded like a power tool being started in the rear of the vehicle. Shortly after this I arrived and confronted SHAUN ANAYA.

(Grant County Beat - January 31, 2018)

Earlier:

• New Mexico: Convicted felon Shaun Anaya, 40, accused of torturing a Pit Bull puppy with a power saw
• New Mexico: Attorney General asks judge to sentence con man Shaun Anaya to prison for alleged puppy torture and abuse

Alabama: Already on probation for animal cruelty, Melissa Pate and Daryl Pate charged again after starving, dead horses found

ALABAMA -- Daryl Shane Pate is now in custody according to the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office.

Pate was charged on Tuesday with two counts of cruelty to animals in addition to the seven counts of aggravated animal cruelty initially tied to the case.

Also, Sheriff’s deputies arrested Melissa Ann Pate. She and her husband, Daryl Shane Pate, face animal cruelty charges after dead and neglected horses were found in Tuscaloosa County.

  
Apparently they were both charged with Animal Cruelty back in July. If that's the case, why wasn't anyone monitoring them  - and their animals? Why were they even allowed to have animals?

ORIGINAL STORY:
Several dead horses were found on a Tuscaloosa County property over the weekend, and now an animal cruelty investigation is underway by the sheriff's office.

Tuscaloosa County deputies were called to Elrod Road Saturday after a complaint.

Authorities found several dead horses during the search, officials told CBS 42. Deputies said conditions were so poor that 9 horses and a miniature donkey had to be rescued.

The animals are now being cared for by the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office, according to spokesperson Jason Powell.

 

 

Daryl Shane Pate, 46, was charged with 6 counts of failure to bury livestock.

After additional investigation, deputies obtained 7 felony arrest warrants for aggravated animal cruelty. Pate is wanted by investigators on the new charges.

Neighbors shared photos with CBS 42 that appeared to show horses kept outside in a small round pen during the recent snow. One man posted photos of the animals to Facebook because he believed them to be malnourished. Other animals appeared to be dead.

"You could see there was two horses laying down there dead that I'd noticed," said Kendell Holman.

Hollman posted the images to Facebook in an effort to bring attention to the issue.

"I got a lot of backlash behind it, doing this whole, don't tell on anybody type of thing, but I mean this position what do you do?" Holman asked.

 

 

When officers responded to the complaint Saturday, Holman recorded officers searching the property and broadcasted what he saw on Facebook Live.

"I wanted to put it in the public's face so somebody had to do something about it," said Holman.

Holman said he and other neighbors have offered help to the property owner before, but did not have any luck.

"A lot of people asked and they tell you to mind your business. We've asked could we help them before, they tell you they don't need your help," said Holman.

Tuscaloosa County deputies said the investigation is ongoing and more charges are possible. It's unclear if anyone else who may have had contact with the animals is under investigation.

 

 

Holman is glad some of the horses were rescued. He hopes people will remember to care for livestock and other animals during the cold.

"It's sickening. I have animals, my animals I make sure they're inside at nighttime, daytime for that matter with it being cold like it is today. It's just sickening. I don't know how anybody could do it," said Holman.

Daryl Shane Pate is wanted by the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office. If you see him, call your local law enforcement agency.

(WIAT - January 1, 2018)