Alabama: Woman searching for her pet Serval after it escaped from her home

PELHAM, ALABAMA -- The owner of a domesticated African Serval, an exotic cat from sub-Saharran countries, has been looking for her pet since his escape on April 24th from the Chandalar area of Pelham.

In a Facebook post, Felicia Wilson, of Pelham, says the eight-month-old cat named Juno escaped out of her front door as her daughter was heading off to school.

Wilson says the cat "is not a wild animal" and is urging anyone who spots him to refrain from shooting.

It is legal to own African Servals in the state of Alabama.

"The police said if push comes to shove they will have no choice but to shoot him if they can't catch him," she wrote in a post, which has since been deleted.

Wilson says Juno will not hurt other animals or people, but he will run away if approached. Wilson believes a tranquilizer might need to be used to catch him, as Servals can run at speeds up to 45 miles per hour.

According to Pelham Police, Pelham Animal Control, Shelby Animal Control, and the Birmingham Zoo have been consulted in this case. Officers have extensively searched the area and placed devices throughout to safely capture Juno, but he has not yet been spotted.

Anyone who sees Juno is asked to contact Pelham Police at (205) 620-6550.

(abc3340 - May 3, 2018)

Alabama: Stacey Jordan says she's a rescuer, brings a Pit Bull home; it attacks the neighbor's Poodle

NORTHPORT, ALABAMA -- A woman who has been running a dog rescue out of her home said she's shutting down her operation after allegedly receiving threats.

And she's telling her side after one of her Pit Bulls attacked and viciously mauled her neighbor's pet.

Stacey Jordan has been fostering dogs out of her home for nearly 5 years. But after recent events, Jordan said she's closing up shop.

“People talking about driving by and shooting the dogs in my yard. I can't continue to do this community service and have my life threatened,” said Jordan, who says she's the director of "Southern Paws Animal Rescue".

Jordan said this has been going on since one of her dogs attacked a neighbor's pet.

But she told us she's not completely to blame, sharing this surveillance video of a boy going to her yard and letting her pit bull out before the attack.

“I am not without concern for the safety of my neighbors and the safety of their pets. I'm not going to say I'm without fault or without mistakes but I've made every effort possible to correct,” said Jordan.

She said she got collars to prevent her dogs from barking so much and an electric fence to keep them in her yard. “We've also enrolled them in a training program,” said Jordan.

A former rescue worker of Jordan's said conditions were poor at her previous rescue site.

“Twenty and 30 dogs sometimes in a neighborhood residential. These people are afraid. If you're going to run something, run it right. Run it safely. You can't have vicious dogs on your property,” said Darlene Richardson.

Jordan said all she wanted to do is help animals. “I look at those little faces and I know that if I don't take them, they are going to end up having something bad happen to them,” said Jordan.

Her statement right there is your red flag. She thinks only she can save them, including the vicious Pit Bull that nearly killed her neighbor's Poodle.

Northport has an ordinance which states: you can have 3 dogs per enclosure  that's within 50 feet of another home but it doesn't specify the total number of dogs one can have.

Northport city leaders said they are taking a closer look at the rule.

(WBRC - March 28, 2018)

Alabama: Elois Inman charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty; starving and dead animals found

ALABAMA -- Complaints from citizens led animal control and sheriff’s deputies to the discovery of two dead horses and others in poor condition at a Waterloo residence Monday afternoon.

The owner, Elois Kathleen Inman, 61, 3975 Lauderdale 126, Waterloo, was charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, two counts of failure to dispose of bodies properly and three counts of cruelty to animals.

“It was pretty bad. The poor horses were in the woods trying to eat briar bushes,” said Lauderdale County Animal Control Officer Dewayne Oliver.

He said he had gotten a number of complaints on the animals' conditions and had been dealing with the owner since December.

Deputies removed six horses and 15 dogs from the residence.

Inman remains in the Lauderdale County Detention Center on bail totaling $7,000.

Note: Her name is also being spelled Eloise Inman.

(Times Daily - January 30, 2018)

Alabama: Two-year-old girl attacked by family's Rhodesian Ridgeback / German Shepherd mix; grandfather also attacked when he intervened

ALABAMA -- Two people injured in a dog attack Wednesday afternoon have been released from hospitals after treatment.

A Labrador / Bulldog mix Rhodesian Ridgeback / German Shepherd was identified as the dog that attacked Kairi Sky Burleson in her yard, and then attacked her grandfather, Michael Perry Burleson on the left arm near the elbow, damaging an artery, said Cullman Police Chief Kenny Culpepper.

The two-year-old was taken to Cullman Regional by a family member for treatment, while the grandfather was flown to North Huntsville Hospital. Both were released after treatment, Culpepper said.

Cullman Fire and Rescue and Cullman Emergency Medical Services personnel were the first to arrive at the scene and began treatment of the victims.

FAMILY SHOT AND KILLED DOG BEFORE POLICE ARRIVED
A Cullman police officer arrived and reported the dog, which was estimated at 2 years old and weighing 100 pounds, was shot and killed before responders arrived.

The body of the dog, which was a family pet, was sent to a veterinarian to be tested for rabies, Culpepper said.

Mikayla says the dog was a Rhodesian Ridgeback and German Shepherd mix and that their veterinarian thinks the dog may have been poisoned "because he's never heard of a dog that lets a baby" play with it like this little girl did and then turn on her. 

The dog may not have been poisoned but may have had some medical ailment (cancer eating away at its stomach, etc) that meant it was in pain. If it were my dog, I'd get a necropsy in order to eliminate all possibilities as this was a dog that was raised around the child, around family members, etc. - it wasn't just chained to a tree and ignored. 

Now certainly one could argue, "Well you never say any of this when it's Pit Bull that attack family members!" - and they would be right. Because Pit Bulls have shown time and time again that they're unstable, unpredictable and have a trigger that sends them from being calm to trying to kill. A 'nice' Pit bull that goes its whole life without attacking and killing something is an exception to the rule. This dog attack was an anomaly so a necropsy should be conducted.

(Cullman Times Online - Jan 25, 2018)

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)

Alabama: Daniel Bennett, 18, accused of raping horse multiple times

ALABAMA -- An Alabama man has been accused of repeatedly sexually molesting a horse in a barn stall.

Daniel Bennett, 18, allegedly told Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigators he attempted to molest a horse.

The owner of the 20-year-old horse, named Polly, said she found Bennett in the barn after her dogs’ barking led her to the scene.

Owner Francine Janes and her husband, who was armed with a gun, found Bennett hiding in a barn stall, according to local reports.

Upon being found, Janes said he told her that “He likes horses. He wanted to pet the horse.”

Bennett was reportedly held at gunpoint by Janes' husband until police arrived.

Police reportedly discovered that Bennett had a trench coat with a burglar’s tool in it.

Janes doesn't believe this is the first time Bennett has abused her horse. 

She told investigators she found what she believes to be evidence in Polly’s stall around 10 times throughout the month of December.

"I would say seven maybe 10 times," Janes told WPMI. "Toilet paper had been left [behind]. The hay stacks had been removed. Items had been turned over. And that's as far as I want to go [in describing what I found]."

Bennett’s arrest warrant lists his crime of bestiality as a misdemeanor, claiming he "engaged in or submitted to any sexual contact with an animal, to-wit: a horse."

Bennett is scheduled to appear in court January 18.  It was unclear if he had a lawyer.

(Fox10 - January 10, 2018)

Alabama: Atlantis Huff, 28, arrested and charged with Animal Cruelty

Full Name: Atlantis Alexandria Huff
Gender: Female
Race: Black
Arrest Age: 28
Arrest Date: 01/04/2018
Arrest Time: 10:00 PM

Location: Etowah County, Alabama

Charge
#1 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
STATUTE: 13A-11-14 (MISDEMEANOR)

Alabama: Cedric Evans arrested and charged with Animal Cruelty

Full Name: Cedric Dewayne Evans
Gender: Male
Race: Black
City: Bessemer, Alabama 35020
Location: Jefferson County, Alabama
Arrest Date: 01/03/2018
Arrest Time: 11:00 AM
Charge
#1 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
BOND: $1000

Alabama: Cordale Hammons, 28, arrested and charged with Animal Cruelty

Full Name: Cordale Deluv Hammons
Gender: Male
Race: Black
Birthdate: 12/24/1988
Arrest Age: 28
Arrest Date: 12/23/2017
Arrest Time: 4:41 PM
Arresting Agency: HUNTSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
Location: Madison County, Alabama
Charges
#1 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
STATUTE: 13A-11-14 ( M)

#2 FAILURE TO HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE
STATUTE: 32-7-1 ( M)

Alabama: Carolyn Cobb, 67, arrested and charged with Animal Cruelty

Full Name: Carolyn Johnson Cobb
Gender: Female
Race: Black
Birthdate: 04/08/1950
Arrest Age: 67
Arrest Date: 12/22/2017
Arrest Time: 6:04 PM
Arresting Agency: HUNTSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
Location: Madison County, Alabama
Charges
#1 CRIMINAL MISCHIEF IN THE SECOND DEGREE.
STATUTE: 13A-7-22 (S M)

#2 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
STATUTE: 13A-11-14 ( M)

Alabama: Corey Strickland arrested and charged with Animal Cruelty

Full Name: Corey Blaine Strickland
Gender: Male
Race: White
Arrest Date: 12/14/2017
City: Columbiana, Alabama
Location: Shelby County, Alabama
Charge
#1 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
BOND: $3000

PREVIOUS KNOWN ARRESTS:
Arrest Date: 08/21/2010
Corey Blaine Strickland, 22, 12000 block of Sipsey Valley Road, was charged with possession of/receiving a controlled substance. Bail was set at $50,000

Arrest Date: 08/27/2015
Arresting Agency: Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office
• TRAFFICKING ILLEGAL DRUGS

Alabama: Nicholas Santiago arrested and charged with Animal Cruelty

Full Name: Nicholas Santiago
Alias: Nick Santiago
Address: 4907 ALTADENA SOUTH DR, BIRMINGHAM, AL 35244
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Height: 5′ 9″
Weight: 150 lb
Hair Color: BRO
Eye Color: HAZ
Age: 35
Arrest Date: 12/14/2017
Location: Shelby County, Alabama
Charge
#1 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
Bond: $3,000

Alabama: Before being mauled to death by her neighbor's Pit Bulls, woman had complained to friends about them

ALABAMA -- Jackson County Sheriff’s Office identified the women mauled to death by a pack of Pit Bulls as Emily Mae Colvin, 24, of Section.

Investigators told WAAY 31 was killed after being attack by her neighbor’s five Pit Bulls at her home on County Road 121 around 9 a.m. Thursday.

Friends of Colvin are still in shock by what happened.

“She had the biggest heart of anybody that you can ever meet. You may have just met her, but she could put a big smile on your face no matter what she said.” Colvin's friend Tiger Frazier said.

Still in disbelief that her friend was viciously attacked and killed by the neighbor’s dogs, Fraizer said Colvin complained about the pit bulls to her and coworkers before the attack.

Sheriff Chuck Phillips told WAAY 31 after the dog attacked Emily, a relative came to her aid and was also attacked by the dogs. The relative was taken to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Colvin's husband was not home at the time of the attack.

One dog was shot by deputies after it tried to attack one of them. The other four were removed by animal control.

Neighbors told WDZX dogs often run loose in the neighborhood.

Marcell Stiefel said, "I killed two dogs the other day."

Stiefel lives in this same neighborhood and says he was recently attacked by a pack of dogs.

He isn't sure who they belong to, but says they have been terrorizing his chickens for weeks."

They tore into my chicken pen and one of them attacked me and I shot it," said Stiefel.

Steifel told Animal Control dogs often run loose in the area.

Sheriff Chuck Phillips said, "This is something very, very uncommon, although it's happened twice recently, I know a lot of attention has been brought on to pit bull dogs."

Sheriff Phillips said his office plans to file charges against the owner of the pit bulls.

WAAY VIDEO NEWS CLIP #1:

WAAY VIDEO NEWS CLIP #2:

WAAY VIDEO NEWS CLIP #3:

(WAAY - December 7, 2017)

Earlier:

• Alabama: Twenty-four year old woman mauled to death by Pit Bulls
• Alabama: Sheriff explains dog ordinances after deadly Pit Bull attack