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)

Texas: Nearly 30 dogs and puppies rescued from ammonia-filled home; one arrest has been made for Animal Cruelty

TEXAS -- Police in Mount Pleasant are investigating a case of suspected animal cruelty.

Police and Animal Control Officers executed a search warrant in the 1400 block of South Lide in Mount Pleasant after receiving a complaint of noxious smells coming from a house.

 

Twenty-eight dogs have been seized from inside the residence. Conditions are so bad that protective suits and respirators had to be worn for heath concerns.

This is an ongoing scene and investigation. Additional city resources are being called in due to health concerns.

Police arrested Mary Helton, 70, on 28 counts of animal cruelty.

She was booked into the Titus County Jail.

(Arklatexhomepage - January 28, 2018)

Ohio: Dan Slyby had 55 dead cats inside his house, along with 100+ still alive and suffering

OHIO -- A man who hoarded 166 cats in his Gahanna home, 55 of them dead, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to 11 criminal charges filed by Columbus Humane regarding animal cruelty.

Daniel Slyby, 60, faces 11 counts of prohibitions concerning companion animals, all second-degree misdemeanors, according to Franklin County Municipal Court records.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Feb. 13.

All but one of the 111 living cats rescued from Slyby’s home in the 3600 block of Olde Ridenour Road on Dec. 13 are still on the mend at Columbus Humane on the Northwest Side, shelter spokeswoman Kerry Shaw said.

They were found in “deplorable condition,” Shaw said last week.

“We believe it was a concerned neighbor that called about the smell from having cats,” said Shelia Murphy with the Gahanna Police.

Frances did not call the police on her neighbor but she said the smell was overbearing. She told us she would see the homeowner trying to disguise the odor too.

“In the evenings, my son would come over and I would say, ‘David, do you smell that odor coming from there?’ But he (homeowner) gets out there and hose that stuff up, works himself to death,” said Frances.

One cat removed from the home later had to be euthanized because of health issues, she said.

Slyby must post a $64,200 cash bond by Dec. 30 or the surviving animals will be permanently forfeited to Columbus Humane. The bond amount is the shelter’s estimated costs of caring for the animals for the next 30 days.

If he posts the bond and is found not guilty, it’s possible he could keep a handful of the cats. Gahanna law prohibits residents from having more than five animals at a residence.

Ultimately, Columbus Humane’s goal is to get the cats healthy enough for adoption, though it’s “way too early” to say when that will be, Shaw said.

For now, the group is being isolated from the rest of the shelter’s animals to reduce the risk of spreading contagious diseases.

They’re being treated for a variety of illnesses, including respiratory and fungal infections, but blood tests haven’t indicated anything “out of the ordinary,” she said.

“All things considered, they seem to be adjusting well,” Shaw said.

The shelter is in need of donations as it is caring for about 170 total cats — the 110 rescued cats and the 60 or so already on its adoption floor as of Wednesday night. The most in-demand items are standard-sized towels, fleece throw blankets and canned and dry cat food, Shaw said.

Anyone who wants to make a financial donation can do so at columbushumane.org.

Slyby’s attorney, Tony Clymer, said Thursday that Slyby denies having mistreated his cats.

(Columbus Dispatch - Dec 21, 2017)