CONNECTICUT -- A woman whose twin sister was accused last month of abusing four dogs at her Westover home now faces similar charges.
Debra Tandet, 55, was taken into custody when she appeared this week in state Superior Court in Stamford for causing a disturbance at her sister’s arraignment in December. She was charged with four counts of accessory to animal cruelty and released after posting a $15,000 bond.
Susan Tandet, 55, was charged last month with four counts of animal cruelty. The sisters have been ordered not to own or live with any animals.
“This is pretty much the same case. Both lived in the same house and both were responsible for the care of the four dogs,” Lt. Nick Montagnese, who wrote the arrest warrants for the twins, said of the charges against Debra Tandet.
Police said the charges stem from a four-month investigation into a neighbor’s complaint filed in August about two adult dogs and two puppies barking overnight on Susan Tandet’s property.
Police said they found two adult English Sheepdogs tied to a tree and two puppies in an “extremely dirty” outdoor pen.
The dogs were taken to the animal hospital, where one of the puppies was diagnosed with pneumonia and dehydration. The puppy, Skeeter, has since died due to Tandet’s poor care, according to the arrest warrant.
A judge has appointed a guardian for the three dogs, Stanley, Chloe and Toro, to represent their interests during the court process. The guardian, Kristan Exner, is a 9/11 survivor, an immigration attorney and founder of a Danbury group called Tails of Courage, which trains therapy dogs for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Debra Tandet’s attorney, Stephan Seeger, said he wants to speak to Exner about the status of the dogs.
“I look forward to talking to the dogs’ lawyer about insuring my client’s right to keep her dogs,” he said.
“We have evidence to support that my client has always taken good care of her dogs and we plan to fight for her rights to keep her own dogs in the home.
Lindy Urso, who is Susan Tandet’s attorney, said the case has taken on a life of its own. Urso’s client returned to court last week when a judge increased her bond because she did not properly advise her probation officer about where she was living.
“Susan does not abuse animals. To the contrary, she loves her dogs very much,” Urso said. “Her dogs are her life and being separated from them over the hysteria that surrounds this misdemeanor case has been extremely traumatic for her.”
Urso said her client only had the puppy that died for five weeks and said the animal was born sick.
“Animal control had the puppy for three months and it died under their care,” Urso said. “Only after the puppy died on their watch did they issue the warrant.”
Susan Campbell, who is prosecuting the case, declined to comment.
(The Advocate - Jan 17, 2017)
Earlier:
Showing posts with label english sheepdog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label english sheepdog. Show all posts
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Connecticut: Susan Tandet, 55, charged with animal cruelty; her English Sheepdog puppies seized
CONNECTICUT -- A Stamford woman is facing four counts of cruelty to animals after two adult English sheepdogs were found tethered to a tree and two puppies were found in poor condition in a cage at her property, police said.
Susan Tandet, 55, of 66 Westview Lane, turned herself in Thursday after learning there was an arrest warrant for her.
Police were called to the Westview Lane residence at 1 a.m. on Aug. 28 after an anonymous call about dogs barking.
When police arrived they discovered the two adult dogs tied to a tree and the seven-week old puppies in what Lt. Nick Montagnese described as a dirty outdoor pen. He said the dogs' fur was matted and that the bowls in the pen may have had feces in them.
The four dogs were taken to the animal hospital to be examined. The two adults were returned to Tandet but the two puppies were held after it was discovered one had diarrhea, pneumonia and dehydration while the second puppy had diarrhea, Montagnese said.
Police continue to have custody of the two puppies until a court makes a determination whether they should return to their owner or not, Montagnese.
Bond was set at $20,000 for Tandet.
In 2010, the Daily Voice reported that Tandet and her sister Debra Tandet, who were both 49 at the time, were allegedly seen on surveillance video stealing vitamin supplements from Schulhoff Animal Hospital on Post Road East.
According to the state's judicial website, Susan Tandet was charged with sixth-degree larceny earlier this year. In May, after she pleaded "nolo contendere" or no contest to the charge. She was found guilty and given a 90-day suspended sentence and placed on probation for one year. According to the website, she was also charged with first-degree violation of probation on Thursday.
In 2012 the Stamford Advocate reported that a fire broke out at the 66 Westview Lane home where they both lived. Susan Tandet told firefighters she had been smoking around midnight when she fell asleep with a lit cigarette in an ashtray on the bed, according to the story.
(Ridgefield Daily Voice - Dec 17, 2016)
Susan Tandet, 55, of 66 Westview Lane, turned herself in Thursday after learning there was an arrest warrant for her.
Police were called to the Westview Lane residence at 1 a.m. on Aug. 28 after an anonymous call about dogs barking.
When police arrived they discovered the two adult dogs tied to a tree and the seven-week old puppies in what Lt. Nick Montagnese described as a dirty outdoor pen. He said the dogs' fur was matted and that the bowls in the pen may have had feces in them.
The four dogs were taken to the animal hospital to be examined. The two adults were returned to Tandet but the two puppies were held after it was discovered one had diarrhea, pneumonia and dehydration while the second puppy had diarrhea, Montagnese said.
Police continue to have custody of the two puppies until a court makes a determination whether they should return to their owner or not, Montagnese.
Bond was set at $20,000 for Tandet.
In 2010, the Daily Voice reported that Tandet and her sister Debra Tandet, who were both 49 at the time, were allegedly seen on surveillance video stealing vitamin supplements from Schulhoff Animal Hospital on Post Road East.
According to the state's judicial website, Susan Tandet was charged with sixth-degree larceny earlier this year. In May, after she pleaded "nolo contendere" or no contest to the charge. She was found guilty and given a 90-day suspended sentence and placed on probation for one year. According to the website, she was also charged with first-degree violation of probation on Thursday.
In 2012 the Stamford Advocate reported that a fire broke out at the 66 Westview Lane home where they both lived. Susan Tandet told firefighters she had been smoking around midnight when she fell asleep with a lit cigarette in an ashtray on the bed, according to the story.
(Ridgefield Daily Voice - Dec 17, 2016)
Monday, September 5, 2016
Louisiana: Rhonda Hall was charged with animal cruelty in 2005 and got probation. Busted a 2nd time on 14 counts, she gets probation again.
LOUISIANA -- A Bayou Blue woman has been sentenced to two years supervised probation after nearly 70 dogs were taken from what one animal shelter manager described as a puppy mill.
State District Judge Juan Pickett of Houma also ordered Rhonda Hall, 59, to pay $4,909.55 in restitution and complete 120 hours of community service through the Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter. She must undergo a mental health evaluation and not own any animals during her 2-year probation.
Hall also faces 14 counts each of cruelty to animals and failure to vaccinate animals in Lafourche Parish. Her next court date there is Sept. 20 in state District Judge Christopher Boudreaux's courtroom in Thibodaux.
Her full name may be Rhonda Leesa Hall
Lafourche sheriff's deputies said on May 10 they found about 30 small dogs without sufficient shelter or clean drinking water at Hall's home on Palmisano Drive. They had gotten a complaint that she wasn't properly caring for the dogs.
On May 13, Terrebonne animal control officers seized 55 dogs and puppies from 8504 Park Ave., Houma. Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter Manager Valerie Robinson described the operation as a puppy mill, saying several dogs, including nursing mothers, were in small, stacked cages in a camper, and many were severely matted and covered in waste.
Hall pleaded guilty Aug. 22 to 55 counts of animal neglect.
Kenneth Koch, 55, also faces animal neglect charges in the case. Robinson said he was with Hall at the Park Avenue residence and claimed ownership of some dogs.
Fifty-three of the dogs the Terrebonne shelter took went to rescue groups or were adopted, Robinson said. A puppy died on its own, and a dog with severe medical and behavioral issues was euthanized.
Robinson said the dogs ranged from newborns to seniors of the Shih Tzu, Yorkshire terrier, Maltese and Old English sheepdog breeds, and many had health issues.
"We were pleased at the guilty plea," she said.
Lafourche Parish Animal Shelter Manager Hilary Knight said her facility took in 14 dogs from Hall. Of those, six went to rescue groups, six were adopted, and two were euthanized because of poor health.
Knight said some dogs were blind or had other health issues. Most were Shih Tzus, and they ranged from puppies to adults.
In 2005, Hall pleaded no contest to three counts of animal cruelty in a case where 106 animals came to the Terrebonne shelter. State District Judge Randy Bethancourt sentenced her to two years' unsupervised probation.
Hall's phone number is unlisted, and she could not be reached for comment through a Facebook message.
Name: Rhonda Hall
Address: ??
DOB: 07/31/1957
Race: White
Sex: Female
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Age at arrest: 58
Current age (as of 9-2-2016): 59
Date of arrest: 05/18/2016
Arresting agency: Lafourche Parish
Total Bond: $2,800
Charges:
(Houma Today - September 2, 2016)
Earlier:
State District Judge Juan Pickett of Houma also ordered Rhonda Hall, 59, to pay $4,909.55 in restitution and complete 120 hours of community service through the Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter. She must undergo a mental health evaluation and not own any animals during her 2-year probation.
Hall also faces 14 counts each of cruelty to animals and failure to vaccinate animals in Lafourche Parish. Her next court date there is Sept. 20 in state District Judge Christopher Boudreaux's courtroom in Thibodaux.
Her full name may be Rhonda Leesa Hall
Lafourche sheriff's deputies said on May 10 they found about 30 small dogs without sufficient shelter or clean drinking water at Hall's home on Palmisano Drive. They had gotten a complaint that she wasn't properly caring for the dogs.
On May 13, Terrebonne animal control officers seized 55 dogs and puppies from 8504 Park Ave., Houma. Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter Manager Valerie Robinson described the operation as a puppy mill, saying several dogs, including nursing mothers, were in small, stacked cages in a camper, and many were severely matted and covered in waste.
Hall pleaded guilty Aug. 22 to 55 counts of animal neglect.
Kenneth Koch, 55, also faces animal neglect charges in the case. Robinson said he was with Hall at the Park Avenue residence and claimed ownership of some dogs.
Fifty-three of the dogs the Terrebonne shelter took went to rescue groups or were adopted, Robinson said. A puppy died on its own, and a dog with severe medical and behavioral issues was euthanized.
Robinson said the dogs ranged from newborns to seniors of the Shih Tzu, Yorkshire terrier, Maltese and Old English sheepdog breeds, and many had health issues.
"We were pleased at the guilty plea," she said.
Lafourche Parish Animal Shelter Manager Hilary Knight said her facility took in 14 dogs from Hall. Of those, six went to rescue groups, six were adopted, and two were euthanized because of poor health.
Knight said some dogs were blind or had other health issues. Most were Shih Tzus, and they ranged from puppies to adults.
In 2005, Hall pleaded no contest to three counts of animal cruelty in a case where 106 animals came to the Terrebonne shelter. State District Judge Randy Bethancourt sentenced her to two years' unsupervised probation.
Hall's phone number is unlisted, and she could not be reached for comment through a Facebook message.
Name: Rhonda Hall
Address: ??
DOB: 07/31/1957
Race: White
Sex: Female
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Age at arrest: 58
Current age (as of 9-2-2016): 59
Date of arrest: 05/18/2016
Arresting agency: Lafourche Parish
Total Bond: $2,800
Charges:
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- SIMPLE CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - 14 Counts - STATUTE: 14:102.1
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
- VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - STATUTE: PO 8.2
(Houma Today - September 2, 2016)
Earlier:
Saturday, February 11, 2012
English sheepdog attacked by a loose pit bull mix
FLORIDA -- Despite his name, Caesar is a lover, not a fighter.
The 90-pound old English sheepdog has no interest in conquering the Empire of Leesburg or its far-flung principalities. He just wants to strut along the sidewalks with the Cleopatra of his heart, Pamela Donahey.
And that's precisely what he was doing on a quiet Sunday night two weeks ago when a dog bolted from a yard and attacked him.
Donahey, 40, watched, helpless and screaming.
"While Caesar was being attacked, three people ran out of the vicious dog's home, and they couldn't stop their dog from mauling my dog. My dog kept crying, and their dog just kept attacking him over and over," she said. "By the grace of God, the dog finally stopped."
"It's all I can think about."
Caesar, whose nickname is "Sheepie," dragged himself home, where he flopped down on the tile floor.
"When he got up, blood was everywhere. I panicked," she said.
Neighbors who heard the ruckus came to the house, the police showed up, and her husband Vic, who owns Vic's Embers Supper Club in Leesburg, arrived at home.
They loaded up 5-year-old Sheepie and hauled him to an emergency veterinarian, who stapled the dog back together and put a cone around his neck to keep him from pulling the staples out of his backside.
Caesar ended up with chunks of flesh missing from his hind quarters and puncture wounds from teeth in various places all over his body. The other dog also had a few puncture wounds from teeth.
The next day, an officer from Lake County's animal-control department came to investigate. Leesburg more than a year ago turned over animal-control enforcement to the county to trim the city budget.
The county has ordinances about animals, and the city has its own ordinances, which typically are more restrictive. The county, however, enforces only its own ordinances. It doesn't have enough staff to enforce what the city might want done. And the city police department isn't getting into animal enforcement.
Result: Pamela Donahey watched her dog get torn up in a jarring attack, fussed over him as he healed, spent hours learning about animal ordinances, finally hired a lawyer to try to get the attacking dog thrown out of their townhouse community and in the end spent more than $500 in vet bills.
And the pit bull's owner? She got a warning not to let her dog run loose again. That's it — just a tap on the wrist.
To her credit, the owner did apologize and offer to make payments on the vet bills. But that's not the point, is it?
Here is Donahey's view: "I asked animal control what the law was, and I was told that a dog can attack another animal unprovoked a total of three times and after that it will be considered vicious and has to wear a muzzle when it is outside.
"I couldn't believe it. How can a dog be loose and viciously attack another dog and it be OK? Now when I walk my dog, I am in fear for myself and my dog. I cannot stand there and watch him get mauled again, which means I will also be attacked."
She's right.
This has to do with understanding that across the country, people increasingly think of their dogs as family members rather than as property and that if you let your aggressive dog run loose you're taking a risk that isn't acceptable.
In Lake, however, dogs are property by law, said Marjorie Boyd, animal control director. The county's ordinances say dogs must be contained in some way — they can't just wander around willy-nilly off the owner's property.
The first time a dog is found running loose, the owner gets a warning from an animal-control officer, she said. The second time, the fine is $150, and the third time it's a $500 violation.
That's not enough when an attack is involved.
County animal-control officers should have the discretion to issue a ticket with a $150 fine the first time a dog is running loose — if it has attacked another creature. That would at least get the attention of an irresponsible owner and make the point that roaming free is not OK.
Giving animal-control officers this little bit more power won't cause more work or require more employees. The officer would be dealing with the situation anyway, and he or she wouldn't be forced to issue a ticket. An owner who wants to fight a citation could still do so by appearing before the county's special master, much in the way that a judge hears a traffic ticket case.
Now is a particularly good time for county commissioners to change the law. On March 13, they'll be considering another nod to the changing culture surrounding dogs. That one would somehow — nothing is definite yet — set limits on how long a dog can be tethered, or in the end they may ban tethering outright.
C'mon, commissioners. This one is easy. Let's do something that may help save Sheepie and other dogs whose owners stay on the right side of the law.
(Orlando Sentinel - Feb 8, 2012)
The 90-pound old English sheepdog has no interest in conquering the Empire of Leesburg or its far-flung principalities. He just wants to strut along the sidewalks with the Cleopatra of his heart, Pamela Donahey.
And that's precisely what he was doing on a quiet Sunday night two weeks ago when a dog bolted from a yard and attacked him.
Donahey, 40, watched, helpless and screaming.
"While Caesar was being attacked, three people ran out of the vicious dog's home, and they couldn't stop their dog from mauling my dog. My dog kept crying, and their dog just kept attacking him over and over," she said. "By the grace of God, the dog finally stopped."
"It's all I can think about."
Caesar, whose nickname is "Sheepie," dragged himself home, where he flopped down on the tile floor.
"When he got up, blood was everywhere. I panicked," she said.
Neighbors who heard the ruckus came to the house, the police showed up, and her husband Vic, who owns Vic's Embers Supper Club in Leesburg, arrived at home.
They loaded up 5-year-old Sheepie and hauled him to an emergency veterinarian, who stapled the dog back together and put a cone around his neck to keep him from pulling the staples out of his backside.
Caesar ended up with chunks of flesh missing from his hind quarters and puncture wounds from teeth in various places all over his body. The other dog also had a few puncture wounds from teeth.
The next day, an officer from Lake County's animal-control department came to investigate. Leesburg more than a year ago turned over animal-control enforcement to the county to trim the city budget.
The county has ordinances about animals, and the city has its own ordinances, which typically are more restrictive. The county, however, enforces only its own ordinances. It doesn't have enough staff to enforce what the city might want done. And the city police department isn't getting into animal enforcement.
Result: Pamela Donahey watched her dog get torn up in a jarring attack, fussed over him as he healed, spent hours learning about animal ordinances, finally hired a lawyer to try to get the attacking dog thrown out of their townhouse community and in the end spent more than $500 in vet bills.
And the pit bull's owner? She got a warning not to let her dog run loose again. That's it — just a tap on the wrist.
To her credit, the owner did apologize and offer to make payments on the vet bills. But that's not the point, is it?
Here is Donahey's view: "I asked animal control what the law was, and I was told that a dog can attack another animal unprovoked a total of three times and after that it will be considered vicious and has to wear a muzzle when it is outside.
"I couldn't believe it. How can a dog be loose and viciously attack another dog and it be OK? Now when I walk my dog, I am in fear for myself and my dog. I cannot stand there and watch him get mauled again, which means I will also be attacked."
She's right.
This has to do with understanding that across the country, people increasingly think of their dogs as family members rather than as property and that if you let your aggressive dog run loose you're taking a risk that isn't acceptable.
In Lake, however, dogs are property by law, said Marjorie Boyd, animal control director. The county's ordinances say dogs must be contained in some way — they can't just wander around willy-nilly off the owner's property.
The first time a dog is found running loose, the owner gets a warning from an animal-control officer, she said. The second time, the fine is $150, and the third time it's a $500 violation.
That's not enough when an attack is involved.
County animal-control officers should have the discretion to issue a ticket with a $150 fine the first time a dog is running loose — if it has attacked another creature. That would at least get the attention of an irresponsible owner and make the point that roaming free is not OK.
Giving animal-control officers this little bit more power won't cause more work or require more employees. The officer would be dealing with the situation anyway, and he or she wouldn't be forced to issue a ticket. An owner who wants to fight a citation could still do so by appearing before the county's special master, much in the way that a judge hears a traffic ticket case.
Now is a particularly good time for county commissioners to change the law. On March 13, they'll be considering another nod to the changing culture surrounding dogs. That one would somehow — nothing is definite yet — set limits on how long a dog can be tethered, or in the end they may ban tethering outright.
C'mon, commissioners. This one is easy. Let's do something that may help save Sheepie and other dogs whose owners stay on the right side of the law.
(Orlando Sentinel - Feb 8, 2012)
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