Ocala Police Officer Tevyn Barry arrested Janet H. Manfredo, 59, at 5:45 p.m. and charged her with animal cruelty; she was booked into the Marion County Jail. She was released at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday on a $1,000 bond, according to jail records.
Reached at her home at 931 NE 12th Ave. — where the 56 poodles and cockapoos were found early this month — Manfredo declined comment on Wednesday.
In a previous interview, Manfredo said she owns the dogs and wants them back.
County animal control officials removed the dogs from the residence on Oct. 5 after neighbors called police to report a foul stench coming from the brick home.
Inside, Barry found the dogs in a room. The odor, he reported, was overwhelming.
Manfredo’s 3-year-old grandson and 84-year-old father, who has dementia, were also in the home. The boy was removed from the home by the Department of Children and Families and was placed with a family member.
Manfredo and her father remained at the residence.
In his report, Barry said some of the dogs had puppies and some were pregnant. They had been in the Ocala home since early September. As Hurricane Irma was closing in on the state’s west coast, the dogs were transferred there from Brooksville, according to police.
An investigator with Marion County Animal Services went to a dog kennel in Hernando County that was reportedly operated by Manfredo. There, the investigator found a makeshift metal shed that housed 14 dogs — also in poor condition, according to Barry’s report.
The 56 dogs taken from the Ocala home are being treated by veterinarians. So far, one of the dogs has died. An autopsy indicated the dog died from possible cardiac failure due to severe anemia and overall poor health.
On Wednesday, county officials said the remaining 55 dogs have all “been groomed and bathed” and continue to show improvement. The dogs, they say, “are beginning to play and allow staff to spend time with them,” and they’re happy “with the day-to-day progress.”
The dogs are not ready to be adopted yet, and county officials have petitioned the court for custody of the dogs and a hearing is scheduled for Nov. 9.
This house was listed for rent not too long ago. If Manfredo rented the property rather than purchasing it, I feel sorry for the property owner as this house has probably been condemned. Interesting to note that it says "No pets" in the listing...
(Ocala.com - Oct 26, 2017)
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