Sunday, November 8, 2009

Toledo woman pleads not guilty in animal cruelty case

WASHINGTON -- A Toledo woman charged with 20 counts of second-degree animal cruelty pled not guilty Friday afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court.

Theresa Hahn, 26, was accused of animal cruelty after Lewis County deputies seized 20 dogs, most of them Pomeranians, after they were found living in allegedly inhumane conditions at her property in early October.

Theresa Hahn

Judge R.W. Buzzard released her, without bail, on the condition she would allow a Lewis County Animal Shelter official to inspect her property and the living conditions of the other 100 plus animals on her property located on the 100 block of Rockridge Lane.

Prosecuting attorney Shane O'Rourke asked Buzzard earlier to consider bail to be set at $5,000.

Early last month, Lewis County deputies, accompanied by animal control and animal health officials, found dogs that were being kept in a double-wide modular home that smelled of animal waste. Over 150 dogs were estimated to be on the property.


Workers had to put on breathing apparatuses before entering the residence.

One Pomeranian puppy died an hour after being rescued, and another had its eye removed because of an infection.


Hahn denied the allegations of animal cruelty saying many of the animals were ill and had been rescued. She denied deputies claims that there was fecal matter all over the house.



She moved to Lewis County following a separate investigation into animal cruelty in Clackamas County, Ore., where she once lived.

She said she will fight to get her dogs back from the animal shelter.

(TDN - Nov 7, 2009)