Saturday, April 30, 2016

Louisiana: Erin Alleman, 28, charged with aggravated animal cruelty, theft

LOUISIANA -- I couldn't find anything other than the booking/arrest information.

Name: Erin Alleman
Address: Crowley LA
DOB: 1987
Race: White
Sex: Female
Height: 5'05"
Weight: 220 lbs
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Age at arrest: 28
Date of arrest: 04/29/2016
Arresting agency: Acadia Parish County
Total Bond: $500
Charge:04/29/2016

  • #1 THEFT CHARGE - STATUTE: 14:67 (MISD) - BOND: $500
  • #2 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS SIM/AGG - STATUTE: 14:102.1 (FELONY)

Louisiana: Cheryl Roy charged with aggravated animal cruelty

LOUISIANA -- I couldn't find anything other than the booking/arrest information.

Name: Cheryl Roy
Address: Crowley LA
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 5'03"
Weight: 175 lbs
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Date of arrest: 04/29/2016
Arresting agency: Kaplan LA
Total Bond: $500
Charge:

  • #1 THEFT CHARGE - STATUTE: 14:67 (MISD) - BOND: $500
  • #2 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS SIM/AGG - STATUTE: 14:102.1 (FELONY)

South Africa: Elderly man savaged by pit bulls

SOUTH AFRICA -- A third person has been savaged in the past week in KwaZulu-Natal by dogs of breeds known to be aggressive.

One of the victims, Mpho Mokoena, 32, died of her injuries.

The latest, a man in his sixties, fell victim to two pit bull terriers that strayed into his garden from their owner’s home a few properties away in Pietermaritzburg’s Langilalibele (Longmarket) Street yesterday.

It is believed he was airlifted to a Durban hospital after medics took him to Grey’s Hospital in the provincial capital.

Tristan Manning, the advanced life-support medic who treated him at the scene, said the victim had opened the door of his flatlet to investigate a commotion outside.


“These two pit bulls had been killing a chicken in the garden,” said Manning. “When they were disturbed (by him), they turned on him.”

Manning described the man as having been “in pain and distress” when he arrived.

“He had multiple bite wounds to the head, resulting in his scalp being split and peeled in certain areas. The inside of his left elbow was torn out, and his blood supply to his lower arm was cut off.”

He had lost 1.5 liters of blood.

The animals have since been humanely put down with the consent of their owner, according to the local SPCA.

Manning said that, when he arrived at the scene, police had fired a shot to scare off the dogs. The SPCA then caught them. Later they were put down.

“The owner came forward and signed papers to agree to their being humanely euthanised,” said Rose Stafford, senior inspector at the Pietermaritzburg SPCA.

The provincial department of health was tight-lipped about the victim.

The department's spokesman, Sam Mkhwanazi, would only say: “The department can confirm that a patient who was allegedly attacked by dogs is in a stable condition in one of its institutions.”

The police were not forthcoming about the attack at the time of going to press.

Last weekend, two pit bulls mauled 89-year-old Shaik Adam Hoosen on his way home from mosque in Phoenix.

As in the Pietermaritzburg incident, the dogs came from a nearby property. One leapt on to his chest. He fell and tried fending them off, but they kept biting his head.

Neighbours picked up the bloodied Hoosen from the verge and walked him home.

He was treated at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital.

On Monday, two Rottweilers and a bull mastiff killed Mokoena in Pietermaritzburg. The dogs belonged to her father.

ER24’s Russel Meiring said paramedics had been unable to immediately come to her aid, as the dogs refused to move away from her bloodied body.

Police shot the two Rottweilers when they made moves to attack them.

The bull mastiff was put down at the instruction of Mokoena’s distraught father.

Stafford urged people who sought to keep breeds such as those involved in the attacks, and especially pit pulls, to first research them.

“Know the breed. Know that you can meet the needs of the breed,” she said. “Check up on a puppy’s parents’ history. Make sure they been sterilised, which stops them from fighting over females and trying to get out of properties,” she said.

(NEWS24 - April 30, 2016)

Pennsylvania: Dog Found Bloodied, With Rope Embedded In Its Neck In Richland Twp.

PENNSYLVANIA --A dog found bloody with a jump rope embedded in its neck is healing at a local animal hospital.

A woman found the German Shepherd on her deck in Richland Township.

“It was hiding behind a hot tub, just cowering down,” said Steve Stoehr, an animal advocate who trapped and helped rescue the dog. “There was blood stains on the floor.”

The homeowner called police, and eventually, Stoehr and fellow animal advocate Wanda Little were called in.


“It breaks your heart when you think there’s an animal sitting there in pain, and it doesn’t know you’re trying to help it,” said Little.

A veterinarian tells Stoehr the rope may have been wrapped around the dog for months and that the rope was tied in a knot.

Stoehr believes the fact that there’s a knot makes it far less likely the dog became trapped in the rope on its own. He believes someone may have wrapped the rope around the dog as a way of tying it up, and then it managed break free.

Stoehr brought the dog to the Northview Animal Hospital in Ross Township for help.

The rope cut into the dog’s right front leg so badly, there’s a risk it may have to be amputated, although the vet is hoping to avoid that, according to Stoehr.

Stoehr will take the dog to the Humane Society as soon as it’s well enough to leave the animal hospital.

Humane agents are not yet involved in the case.

The dog had no identifying collar or tag, according to Stoehr.

This is a dog in South Carolina which suffered from the same
cruelty - an embedded rope. 


Update to story: The dog's owner, John Wolford, was charged with animal cruelty.

(CBS Local - April 29, 2016)

Tennessee: Puppies rescued from inside trash bin, Ined Holmes Jr arrested

TENNESSEE -- Diamond has been reunited with her puppies almost a week after Jackson police said the litter of eight was found inside a South Jackson garbage can.

Ined Holmes Jr., 46, was arraigned in Jackson City Court on Thursday after an anonymous caller notified police that eight puppies were inside a trash bin outside a store, according to police.

Jackson police found the puppies tied in a black plastic bag and deprived of food, water and oxygen, court documents say.


The truck was later found at a home on Fleming Street, and a female dog was found in the backyard of the home with the ability to nurse the puppies, according to court documents.Video showed a man, later identified as Holmes, driving a green and gray Chevrolet pickup truck, throwing the bag from the truck and into the trash bin, according to court documents.


Companion Pet Rescue representatives said they have all nine dogs, including the mother, and are continuously working with the puppies. The puppies are still being bottle-fed every two hours and are doing well, according to the rescue organization.Police said Diamond, who appears to be the puppies' mother, was at the home when they arrived to arrest Holmes. Diamond has accepted her puppies with the help of a local rescue organization.

Holmes has been released on $15,000 bond and is scheduled to return to court May 5 at 9:30 a.m., police said.The puppies are not currently available for adoption because rescuers believe they are less than a week old.

Holmes did not immediately respond to request for comment.


Donations to Companion Pet Rescue can be mailed to P.O. Box 1772, Jackson, TN, 38302.

Anyone with information about this case, or any other crime is encouraged to contact the Jackson Police Department at (731) 425-8400 or Crime Stoppers at (731) 424-8477 or by visiting jmcrimestoppers.org to place a cyber tip.

(Jackson Sun - April 28, 2016)

South Africa: Maritzburg woman mauled to death by 3 dogs

SOUTH AFRICA -- A KwaZulu-Natal woman was mauled to death by three dogs in the plush suburb of Montrose on Monday morning.

When paramedics and police officers arrived on the scene, they were unable to access the property because a pair of Rottweilers and a Boerbul were standing over the woman’s bloodied body.

After attempts to drug the dogs failed, police officers shot and killed the two Rottweilers and managed to corner the third dog, allowing medics to rush to the injured woman.  

ER24 spokesperson Russell Meiring confirmed that medics had been stranded outside the home.

"Emergency personnel were unable to approach the woman, as three dogs stood next to her body. Efforts were made in removing the dogs, as well as to chase them away. Unfortunately, all the efforts proved unsuccessful and two of the three dogs had to put down by the police. The third animal fled shortly after," he said.

"Paramedics climbed over the fence and immediately assessed the woman. Unfortunately, she had already succumbed to her multiple fatal injuries," he added.

It was not known what had caused the dogs to attack the woman, but authorities were on the scene for further investigations.

(News24 - April 25, 2016)

Missouri: Roy Hammond, 74, faces animal abuse charges after horse dragged behind truck, killing her

MISSOURI -- They are disturbing allegations against Roy V. Hammond.

Wednesday evening, 74-year-old Hammond, a Harrisonville resident, was charged with a horrific case of animal abuse, accused of dragging a horse more than a mile down 245th Street near Orient Cemetery Road behind his truck. The horse was badly injured and eventually died.

"In my 25 years, I’ve never seen an animal chained to a vehicle and drug," said Major Jeff Weber with the Cass County Sheriff's Office.



That changed Tuesday when a 911 caller claimed their neighbor was dragging a horse down the road by his truck. When they arrived, Cass County Sheriff's deputies found the horse - barely alive - and still chained to the truck, lying on the ground and badly bleeding. Hammond was arrested for animal abuse.

"I'm sorry that it happened. It's one of those things. She's be hurting somebody else if I hadn't taken a hold of her to try to straighten her out....It's a pretty bad deal, but that's the life of things and the way it goes," Hammond said.


Hammond says he knows horses and was only trying to train a horse that refused to behave.

"We just tried to subdue her and get her straightened out, and she just went berserk and everything...It was just fouled up," Hammond stated.

"So, you didn't tie her to the back of a truck?" KCTV's Jeanene Kiesling asked.

"Yes I did, right out here, to pull her out," Hammond responded.

 

Hammond said if you don't get "correction" from a horse it could kill you.

When he was arrested, he said "You're kidding, right?"

A Cass County deputy found the horse soaking in sweat with road rash on its skin and pools of blood coming from its feet.

Dr. Zachary Peterson, a veterinarian, treated the five-year-old horse.

"You could tell she had been through a lot," he said.

Peterson said her hooves were ground down, not to the bone, but close. Her skin in areas looked as if she'd been burned due to the friction from the road.

"At the end of the day, we wanted very badly to save this horse within reason. We weren't going to let her suffer," Peterson stated. "Where the skin was, it was almost if the skin had been burned. You could tell there had been a significant amount of heat involved."

But the horse was suffering, so, Wednesday morning, Peterson and his staff decided the horse should be euthanized. She died before they could perform the procedure.


"Were you trying to teach the horse a lesson?" Kiesling asked Hammond.

"Yes ma’am, trying to teach the horse a lesson from pulling back and breaking stuff," Hammond answered. "You take a 1,000 pound animal, she can do some damage. And this is what happens."

"Do you feel bad?" Kiesling questioned.

"Yes, I feel terrible about it...but it's just one of those things," Hammond responded.

Hammond is charged with felony animal abuse for torturing or mutilating an animal while it was alive. He posted his $10,000 bond.

(KCTV5 - April 29, 2016)

Friday, April 29, 2016

North Georgia mayor saves woman, dog from dog attack

GEORGIA -- A north Georgia man heard his neighbor screaming for help, after three dogs attacked her and her dog.

Carly Sharec told Channel 2 Action News the man — who happened to be the mayor of Dawsonville — saved her and her dog from the surprise attack.

Dawsonville is a city in Dawson County, which is located about 60 miles northeast of Atlanta.

The dogs knocked her down and started tearing at her dog, Bowser.

“So I was screaming,” Sharec said. “I was trying to get back to the house and [the dogs] yanked [Bowser] from my arms.”

Mayor James Grogan ran to the rescue with a pair of lopping shears, which are usually used for pruning and gardening.


“They’d already knocked her down and her dog that she was holding,” Grogan said. “I could see that it was chewed up really bad.”

Grogan grabbed the loppers and chased off the three dogs, which were ripping into Bowser’s leg.

“They got us both on the ground and were ripping into his leg, so the smaller dog was trying to rip into his neck,” Sharec said.

Bowser needed surgery after the attack, but was expected to be OK, according to Channel 2.

Grogan said he didn’t do much.

“I didn’t do a whole lot,” Grogan said. “I’ll be honest with you. It was just one of those things that being there, but I’m glad I was.”

Sharec called the mayor a hero.

“He is an incredible guy, obviously. He saved our lives,” Sharec said. “We were within seconds of a different outcome.”

Animal Control located the three dogs two days later. They were in quarantine Wednesday to see if they have rabies.

(AJC.com - April 27, 2016)

New York: Despite best efforts, Greyhound Reggie dies after pit bull attack

NEW YORK -- Reggie, a retired greyhound attacked by a pit bull earlier in April, has died, according to a post on a GoFundMe online account set up to raise money for the injured dog's medical care.


The family expressed gratitude not only for the monetary support — more than $9,200 was raised — but also for the thoughts and prayers for Reggie.

The greyhound, who would have turned 11 next week, died Thursday morning, according to the post.

I regret to inform all of his supporters that “Reggie” passed away early this morning. Next Tuesday would have been his 11th birthday. His family and myself wish to thank all of his supports from the bottom of our hearts of this Go Fund Me page, not only for the donations for his medical treatment, but for all your thoughts and prayers that gave us all hope that he could overcome his severe injuries. RIP Sweet Reggie. If you would like, you can send your thoughts and condolences to “Reggie’s Family” c/o GAGR, PO Box 63, Penfield, NY 14526-0063. Thank you.


"If anything good came out of this tragedy, it is the fact that there are so many wonderful people that bonded together for this sweet dog," a post attributed to Reggie's family reads on the site. "Someone said today ... RIP means 'Romping in Paradise,' and that is exactly what we hope Reggie is doing now."

Lisa Matthaeus was walking Reggie down Main Street in the Wayne County village of Newark on the evening of April 10 when a mixed-breed pit bull in a parked vehicle jumped out and attacked Reggie.

Matthaeus suffered a severe laceration on her finger and required surgery after the attack. The pit bull was owned by Newark resident Vickie Cook. Cook has not spoken with the media about the incident.


The pit bull, Rocky, was euthanized Friday by court order, Animal Control Officer Bob Howard said.

(Daily Messenger - April 28, 2016)

Earlier:

Mississippi: Mother, daughter hospitalized after pit bull attack in Perry County

MISSISSIPPI -- A woman and her daughter were hospitalized after a pit bull attack Thursday morning in Perry County.

The incident occurred around 10 a.m. on Dixon Road, just a few miles south of Runnelstown near Highway 29.

“The pit bull was attacking the daughter, the mom saw it and she came out to get the dog off of the child and the dog turned on her and began attacking her,” said Perry County Sheriff Mitch Nobles.

Nobles said when deputies arrived on scene to help the victims; they had no choice but to put the dog down.

“When the deputies got out, one of the officers was holding the child and the dog was just too aggressive, it kept trying to attack even as they were trying to render aid, so they had no choice but to put the dog down,” said Nobles.

The mother was taken by air ambulance, Rescue 7, and the daughter was transported by ground ambulance to Forrest General Hospital to be treated for their injuries.

“The mother was hurt pretty bad, it’s just a sad situation all the way around,” said Nobles.

According to Nobles, the dog belonged to the mother’s boyfriend, and had been a family pet for around four years.

“The dog will be sent off for proper testing at the State Health Department, and the incident is still under investigation,” said Nobles.

Both the mother and daughter's names are not being released at this time, and are both listed in stable condition at Forrest General.

(WDAM - April 28, 2016)

Georgia: Woman, 77, recovering after pit bull attacked her, killed her little Maltese named Zoey

GEORGIA -- A 77-year-old woman is recovering after she says she was attacked by a neighbor’s pit bull.

Jeanette Lasseter says she was taking her 8-year-old Maltese dog, Zoey, out to go to the bathroom around 1 a.m. Sunday at their home on Camelot Circle in Tucker when the pit bull attacked, killing her dog and taking a chunk out of her thigh.

“It all just seemed like a nightmare. A big nightmare,” Lasseter said. “This should have never, ever, ever happened.


Lasseter says it all happened in the blink of an eye. She was trying to push Zoey under a van for safety when the dog got hold of her leg.

“(It) pulled me down the driveway, out from under the truck,” she said.

Lasseter’s daughter says she heard the screams and ran to help pull the pit bull off of her mother.


“She’s bleeding all over the place and all I can think is, 'Grab the dog and pull him off,'” P.J. Seale said.

She tied up the pit bull until police arrived, but it was too late for Zoey.

“Punctures in her lungs, heart maybe, intestines -- it was horrible,” Seale said.

Zoey died shortly after the attack.

“I am living in the middle of a nightmare and I lost one of the things that is most precious to me,” said Lasseter. “Your dog is your family. It’s your child and she was my child.”


APOLOGIST!
She says she doesn’t blame the pit bull – she blames the dog’s owner.

The family says they've seen the pit bull chained in its front yard and believes that's what led to the Sunday morning aggression.

“I don't believe in any inherently bad dogs, but I do believe in improperly trained owners,” Seale said.

"I hope that people will understand what they're turning their dogs into,” Lasseter said.

The pit bull is at the DeKalb County Animal Shelter awaiting the outcome of an upcoming hearing involving the dog’s owner.

 

“I will never feel comfortable walking out in my own yard again,” Lasseter said.

Channel 2’s Nicole Carr reached out to the dog’s owner but has not heard back.

WSBTV - April 18, 2016)

Tennesse: Dead pit bull found with rope around neck on Norris Lake

TENNESSEE -- The Grainger County Sheriff’s Office said authorities found a dead pit bull with a rope around its neck on Norris Lake.

An incident report said authorities received a call to the lake near Black Fox Bridge around 3:20 p.m. on April 21.

Upon arriving, authorities found the dog with a rope around its neck tied to a concrete block floating between the old bridge and new bridge.


Authorities found no one near the area.

A man said he noticed the dog floating in Norris Lake, and no one was around.

The report said the dog appeared to be in the lake for several days to months.

(WBIR - April 29, 2016)

Maryland: The case surrounding the 300-plus dogs rescued from puppy mill owners Robert Murphy, 61, and Susan Murphy, 67, continues, bringing questions about past cases and future protocol

MARYLAND -- Anita Long and her husband wanted a second dog.

They went back to the couple they'd bought one from about a year prior, but this time things were a little different.

Only Long's husband went to see the pup, and when he sent her a picture of the one the couple was offering, what she saw was nothing like they’d asked for. The color of the fur was wrong. It wasn’t a toy dog. It didn't even have papers that came with it.

“We didn’t really get what we wanted,” said Long, of Crisfield.

But she knew one thing — that dog couldn’t stay in the conditions it was living in.


“I said, 'You cannot leave that dog there,'” Long said.

So they brought the pup home.

The Eden home she and her husband bought that dog from was recently investigated in Wicomico County and more than 300 dogs were removed from the property.

A kennel check took place April 6 at the house on Cooper Road. It was a 14-hour day spent removing the animals from deplorable conditions. The dogs were taken to the Humane Society of Wicomico County and placed in other shelters around the Eastern Shore. The worst ones were kept locally.

The dogs were described as having matted-fur, covered in feces that had long-since calcified, police said.

Another dog was found with a foot chewed off.


In the few weeks since the animals were removed, one has died, said Wicomico County State’s Attorney Matthew Maciarello.

It’s a case that’s raised bigger questions to the forefront in Wicomico.

What more, if anything, could have been done? That's a concern that's hit home to many who assert officials may have known sooner, an accusation possibly backed up by court documents that show another county gave warning to Wicomico after the couple's involvement in a similar incident elsewhere.

Others have wondered what can be done in the future to keep this from happening again. And it's something local delegates are working to see how they can help.

“We’re trying to see if there’s legislation at the state level that could prevent something like this from happening in the future,” said Delegate Carl Anderton Jr., R-38B-Wicomico. “This should have never happened."

A possible pattern
Susan and Robert Murphy have been identified by multiple other news sources as the couple involved in the Wicomico investigation.

But documents from Dorchester County give names for a couple who lives on Cooper Road, and were previously charged, though not convicted, with animal cruelty charges.

Law enforcement has not yet identified the individuals involved in this case, because the investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed.

Calls to a phone number associated with the Murphy's address were answered by a woman who confirmed her name as Susan. The woman would not confirm she was the Susan Murphy being investigated by law enforcement.


Court documents from Dorchester County's District Court show the pair was charged in 2009 in a similar, but smaller, case.

The first time Long and her husband went to get a dog, they weren’t allowed to go inside the house. This was October 2014.

There were a lot of Pomeranians running around outside in a fenced-in area, she said. The woman would only bring two dogs out for them to see — she wouldn’t show any more. And while they could see some dogs outside in enclosures, Long thinks there were more on the property.

“We heard several barking,” she said, but she couldn’t see where they were.

The first dog they brought home in 2014 was in OK condition. The second one — about a year later in 2015 — wasn't. Its fur didn’t look healthy. The woman who sold them the dog said the dogs had been eating eggshells.

“The health of the second one wasn’t quite as good,” she said.

Her description is similar to that in 2009's documents.Only her husband went in 2015, Long said, but she said she thinks it was worse that time than the first time they went. This time around, the dog’s fur felt like a Brillo pad, she added. And only one dog, without papers or a known birth date, was brought out to be seen.

Dorchester law enforcement described going to the home after a complaint reported from a neighbor. The animal control officer said the Murphys had not been back to their property for several days, and there were dogs left in pens behind the house.

The dogs were being forced to walk and sit in their own feces, according to the documents.

While Susan Murphy appeared to be home, documents show, she did not answer the door when animal control showed up. Officers found three long-haired cats in a barn that were being kept in "filthy, rusty cages," according to the documents.

They were all infested with fleas and ticks, and had matted fur. The cages were soaked in urine and feces, documents show.

Care, investigations continue for 310 rescued dogs
Animal control went to the back yard to find eight dogs and five puppies in poor condition. These cages were also filled with urine and feces, little to no food and water, and mouse droppings, according to the documents. The dogs were also infested with fleas and ticks, and had matted fur.

After the Long's second visit, where the dog they received was in poor condition, they made their report about the couple.

While they did go to officials about the two of them, Long said she doesn’t think the couple necessarily meant for things to turn out this way. She just thinks the situation got out of control.

“I honestly don't believe that they’re malicious people,” she said.

Time ticks on
For many of the dogs rescued, the process of finding forever homes has started.

Aaron Balsamo, executive director of the Humane Society of Wicomico County, who's only been in his position since the end of March, said about a dozen or so dogs have been adopted.

But it took time, and a lot of work, to get them there.

From day one, the care of the dogs was top priority, Maciarello said.

“The dogs’ health and well-being comes first,” he said.

Some of them were in pretty rough shape. There were pups that hadn’t been touched for years, he said.

“They couldn’t feel human contact for as long as they had the matting and filth on top of their bodies,” he added.

As days continue to pass, the legal investigation continues to grow. There’s been no announcement when it comes to charges.
And Maciarello wanted to make clear that there isn’t any sort of definite charges right now. Currently, they’re investigating. And in a month or so, decisions about whether or not there will be charges filed, will be released.

The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office has been canvassing neighbors, he said, and talking to people who may have bought, or tried to buy, dogs from the couple.




Anyone who has information about the pair is asked to reach out to Lt. Tim Robinson at the sheriff’s office.

Online, many people keep coming back to one thing — how many years did people make calls about this couple?

It was a question asked at a recent news conference held at the shelter, and one that’s been floating around social media since the case broke.

Maciarello said he does know the humane society had made some kennel checks, but they came back as acceptable when they occurred.

Balsamo could not comment as to whether there were previous calls or not.

Dorchester County District Court documents show animal control did contact Wicomico County to warn officials there the couple moved into their area.

Documents show the officer told Wicomico County the couple "had plans to resume their breeding and puppy sales."

The officer out of Wicomico advised he would give them a week to get the dogs set up and would then go and check on them. If the officer from Wicomico did not find anything, he reportedly told Dorchester County, he would "continue to monitor the situation and keep a check on the dogs," according to the documents.

Long and her husband called to make their report in November of 2015, after the incident with the second dog. But, Long did say she’s heard there were other reports before then.

“I’m sure we’re not the only people who called,” she added.

What could change?
Maciarello said there’s been some contact with local delegates about what could be helpful when dealing with cases like this in the future.

For one, how charges are filed.

“After you accumulate a certain magnitude… of neglect cases,” he said, could the crime be bumped up to a felony?

This could be useful once a case hits a certain number of animals in one event, he said.

“It should be elevated to more than a misdemeanor. It should be a felony,” Maciarello said.

Other considerations would be a national registry for those convicted of animal abuse cases.

Delegate Mary Beth Carozza said these conversations have looked at “possibility of enhancing the prosecutor's tools.”

The creation of a registry for people who’ve been in trouble before may help prevent them from jumping county, or state lines, and doing it again, he said.

They'll be waiting until Maciarello wraps up the case, she said, but their early conversations have showed there could be some legislation that could really help in these cases.

For Wicomico, this case shows “excessive abuse and neglect (that) is at a whole different level,” she said.

Anderton said things wouldn't start rolling until after due process takes its course. But then they will sit down, and work to move forward. This may be some time around the end of the summer, he added.


This type of case isn't one you'd expect to see in your backyard, Balsamo said. It's not what he expected just coming into the job and community.

"It was sad... just the condition (the dogs) were in," he added.

But, there's a lot of progress that has been made. Every day, they're one step closer to getting the pups where they need to be.

And those who have helped, from local businesses and members of the community, have made an incredible difference.

"To see how the community reacted ... it's just left me speechless," Balsamo said.

(Delmarva News - April 28, 2016)

New York: Elizabeth Grant charged with aggravated animal cruelty; accused of hoarding more than 50 animals in horrific conditions

NEW YORK -- A Jackson Heights woman has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty and other charges for allegedly keeping more than 50 animals in an unsanitary living environment that veterinary professionals said caused extreme health problems from malnutrition to respiratory infections and many other painful conditions.

 

At least one dog was in such failing health, she had to be euthanized, the Queens district attorney announced Tuesday.

Elizabeth Grant, 48, of 22-44 82nd St. was arraigned Tuesday before Queens Criminal Court Judge Elisa Koenderman on four counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and 63 counts of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals and failure to provide sustenance, the DA said. Grant was released on her own recognizance and ordered to return to court May 10.



If convicted, the defendant faces up to two years in prison.

“The defendant is accused of permitting her pets to live in deplorable condition,” DA Richard Brown said. “The floor and furnishings in the defendant’s home were allegedly covered in feces, fur and urine. The smell of ammonia was so overwhelming, animal rescue workers had to wear respirators to breathe as well as protective clothing when entering the premises.”

According to the charges, a crime prevention officer went to the defendant’s home on Jan. 6 to visit Grant’s mother, an elderly crime victim.


 

Although no one answered the knock, the door was open and the officer allegedly observed numerous animals inside the home and the interior was filthy, the DA said.

The officer returned to the home Jan. 28 with members of the ASPCA. According to the complaint, a court-authorized search warrant was issued and the ASPCA members rescued 55 cats, 12 dogs and two turtles.

 
 

(Times Ledger - April 29, 2016)

Earlier:

Alabama: Breanna Leigh Prado, 25, cited to criminal court about her animals

ALABAMA -- I couldn't find anything other than the booking/arrest information. Most agencies don't bother to charge people criminally for their dogs running loose so my guess is that her dog was running loose and attacked someone or another animal.

Name: Breanna Leigh Prado
Race: White
Sex: Female

Age at arrest: 25
Date of arrest: 04/28/2016
Arresting agency: HUNTSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
Charges:

  • FAILURE TO OBTAIN LICENSE FOR AN ANIMAL (MISDEMEANOR)
  • FAILURE TO IMMUNIZE DOG/CAT FOR RABIES (MISDEMEANOR)
  • FAILURE TO RESTRAIN ANIMAL (MISDEMEANOR)

Kentucky: Devron Harris, 35, charged with animal cruelty

KENTUCKY -- I couldn't find anything other than the booking/arrest information.


Name: Devron Dewayne Harris
Address:
DOB:
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Height: 5'06"
Weight: 220 lbs
Hair Color: BLACK
Eye Color: BROWN
Age at arrest: 35
Date of arrest: 04/28/2016
Arresting agency: Christian County KY
Total bond: $1,752
Charges:

  • #1 OPERATING ON SUS OR REV OPER LICENSE - STATUTE: 00403 (B M) - BOND $684.00 CASH
  • #2 FAILURE TO APPEAR - STATUTE: 01150 ( O) - BOND $134.00 CASH
  • #3 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS-2ND DEGREE - STATUTE: 02625 (A M) - BOND $434.00 CASH 
  • #4 SERVING WARRANT (FOR OTHER POLICE AGENCY) - STATUTE: 02900 ( O) - BOND $500.00 CASH

PREVIOUS ARREST:
Name: Devron Dewayne Harris
Age at arrest: 32
Date of arrest: 05/07/2013
Arresting agency: Hardin County KY
Total Bond: $0
Charges:

  • TRAFF CONT SUB WITHIN 1,000 FEET OF SCHOOL
  • DRUG PARAPHERNALIA - BUY/POSSESS
  • TRAFF IN CONT SUB, 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFF - (> OR = 10 D.U. DRUG UNSPECIFIED)
  • TRAFF CONT SUB WITHIN 1,000 FEET OF SCHOOL
  • PROMOTING CONTRABAND - 1ST DEGREE
  • FLAGRANT NON SUPPORT
  • TRAF IN MARIJUANA ( > 5 LBS.) 2ND > OFF

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Arkansas: Takia Jones arrested after starving dog, too weak to stand, found tied to a tree

ARKANSAS -- Police in Helena-West Helena are investigating an animal cruelty call in which a malnourished and abused dog was found tied to a tree.

An officer found the dog in the backyard of a home in the 200 block of North 4th Street and noted it was malnourished and looked severely abused.

 
 

The dog was unable to sit due to a ‘very small extension cord’ tied around its neck.

When the officer removed the cord, the dog was too weak to stand on its own.

The resident of the house, Takia Jones, told police her 16-year-old brother had brought the dog home several weeks earlier and left it tied up in the backyard, but never bothered to feed the dog or take care of it.

Police said it seems like Jones, even though she said her brother wasn't feeding it, did not try to care for the dog either. Or make attempts to find it another home or get a shelter to take it.

“It’s safe to say that the dog was not properly fed for a long time,” Helena-West Helena Police Chief Virgil Green said.

The Humane Society took the dog.


Officers arrested Jones for animal cruelty, and she was released after posting bond.

Green reminded citizens to properly care for their dogs and report any incidents of animal cruelty.

“Animals can’t speak for themselves we have to be the voices for animals,” he said.

 

UPDATE TO CASE:

Meals on Wheels for Helena-West Helena Dogs added 10 new photos — with Leslie Galloway. June 3, 2016 ·

Today is court day (plea day) for TAKIA JONES. I am scared that she is going to get off because Arkansas laws are vague and weak on animal cruelty. I am thinking about going to the Capitol and fighting for better laws to protect not only the dogs but the rescuers who pull them. There needs to be crystal clear laws on abuse so we as rescuers can save them from horrible owners like I have to deal with on a regular basis. Something needs to change. I am going to see how this case goes and if Takia Jones gets off all hell is going to break loose.

Sky deserves justice for being starved and hung. The Chief of police did tell me that they also have a warrant to arrest Sky's original owner who abandoned Sky with Takia. He has been charged as well. I have heard he also is a career criminal. I will get more details as that progresses.

I pray the police have all their information filed correctly. I pray the work is in order. We shall see.

Justice for SKY! Baby girl, momma is fighting for you today!!!! Love you sweet happy girl!

  
 
 

(WREG - April 27, 2016)

Tennessee: Terrance Patterson, 26, charged with animal cruelty

TENNESSEE -- I couldn't find anything other than the booking/arrest information.


Name: Terrance Patterson
DOB: 08/13/1989
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age at arrest: 26
Arresting agency: Shelby County TN
Total Bond: $50,000
Charges:
  • #1 ASSAULT-BODILY HARM
  • #2 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
  • #3 EVADING ARREST
  • #4 POSS MARIJUANA W/I MAN/DEL/SELL
  • #5 RESISTING OFFICIAL DETENTION

Tennessee: Tony Davis, 34, charged with animal cruelty

TENNESSEE -- I couldn't find anything other than the booking/arrest information.


Name: Tony Davis
DOB: 06/19/1981
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age at arrest: 34
Date of arrest: 04/27/2016
Arresting agency: Shelby County TN
Total Bond: $250
Charge:

  • #1 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS C
  • #2 FAILURE TO HAVE DOG TAG ON DOG
  • #3 FAILURE TO OBTAIN DOG LICENSE
  • #4 MAINTANCE REQUIREMENTS ANIMALS/FOWL
  • #5 VIOLATION OF SPRAY/NEUTER ORDINANCE

Virginia: Dead dog on Vinton lawn leads to Gary Thompson, 46, arrest

VIRGINIA -- Police arrested a Vinton man and charged him with felony animal cruelty after they found a dead German Shepherd on his front lawn.

On Monday, April 25, at 4:28 p.m., Vinton police officers responded to a home in the 600 block of South Maple Street, for a well-being check as family members reported having difficulty contacting 45-year-old Gary Edward Thompson, who lived at the home, and were concerned for his health and safety.


On April 26, the dog was transported to the Lynchburg Regional Animal Health Laboratory to confirm the manner and cause of death, although an examination of the dog at the scene indicated it did not likely die of natural causes.

Thompson was subsequently arrested, charged and transported by officers of the Vinton Police Department to the Roanoke County–Salem Jail and later transferred to Western Virginia Regional Jail where he is still in custody.

(WSLS - April 28 2016)

Texas: Karen Cisneros arrested for animal cruelty after leaving her dog Rocky to starve as well as get infested with hookworms, fleas, ear mites

TEXAS -- A dog owner is facing charge, because cops say she neglected her animal.

Animal Control went to the home and found Rocky suffering from extreme malnourishment (emaciation).

The owner surrendered Rocky, but cops say she denied being neglectful.


Rocky was seen by a vet who confirmed malnourishment (starvation), but said rocky also had hookworms, was infested with fleas, and ear mites.

Ingleside Police on Thursday arrested Rocky's owner, Karen Cisneros, she's charged with animal cruelty.

Meanwhile, police say Rocky is doing much better, He's being treated, fed, and loved.

(KZTV10 - April 28, 2016)

New York: Cayla Wujek, 24, accused of intentionally killing a cat

NEW YORK -- The State Police in Lowville arrested 24 year old Cayla M. Wujek of Brantingham with one count of Aggravated Cruelty To Animals, a felony under the Agg and Markets Law.

Allegations are that on or about the 16th of February Wujek did intentionally kill a cat, that was owned by another person, in the Village of Lyons Falls.


Wujek was arraigned in the Town of Lowville Court and then remanded back to the Lewis County Jail, where she was being held on non related charges.

An additional $1,000 bail was set in this case.

(New York State Police - April 27, 2016)

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Illinois: 80-100 cats seized from Orion home, Patricia Hardi, 62, charged

ILLINOIS -- Henry Co. Sheriff’s Office investigators and animal control officers were at a home in Orion, Illinois on Wednesday, where they seized 80-100 cats in an apparent animal hoarding investigation.

The cats taken from the house are being cared for and rehabilitated by staff at Orion Veterinary Clinic.

 
 
 

Dr. Becky Polage says many of the cats are in poor condition and had been living in terrible conditions inside the house near 1st St. and 10th Avenue.

Investigators began their operation Wednesday morning. Animal control officers were still on scene at 1:30 p.m.

KWQC spoke with the cats’ owner who had no comment regarding the investigation. Investigators also had no comment.

 


Orion Mayor Jim Cooper says the city has known of the situation for years now and says the owner must be brought into compliance with city code. He had no other comment.

Um, OK. So they've known for YEARS that she's abusing (and possibly killing) animals and they did... what? NOTHING??

Once the cats are in good health, Dr. Polage says they will be fostered out to new homes.

 
 

The clinic is asking for food and cat litter donations.

UPDATE: Charges have been filed against Patty Hardy (aka Patricia A. Hardi, Patricia Hardi) of Orion, Ill. Hardy’s first appearance in court will be May 9, 2016 at 1 p.m. at Henry County Courthouse.

According to the State’s Attorney, charges won’t be released until after her first appearance.

(KWQC - April 27, 2016)