A Weld County woman was charged with Cruelty to Animals earlier this year. According to reports, she had too many dogs on her property. Animal hoarding is common throughout Morgan, Logan, and Sedgwick County. Many people don’t even realize they have a problem until they have been charged with a crime. Let’s look closer at this case in order to understand the crime, and the consequences this woman could face.
What is Animal Hoarding?
According to the Animal Hoarding Research Consortium, animal hoarding is defined using the following criteria:
- Having more than the typical number of companion animals.
- Failure to provide even minimal standards of sanitation, shelter, veterinary care, and nutrition, with this neglect often causing an illness or death from the spread of disease, starvation, an untreated medical condition or injury.
- Denial about being unable to provide minimum care, and denial of the impact of that failure on other people in the home, and the animals themselves.
- Persistence (despite this failure to provide minimum care) in accumulating and controlling animals.
In other words, if a person owns an unusual number of animals, is unable to care properly for those animals, and also denies they have a problem, they are most likely an animal hoarder. Let’s take a look at the case of the woman in Weld County to learn more.
An Example of Animal Hoarding in Weld County
It all began when a neighbor saw two dogs running loose on a Weld County woman’s property. When animal control officers arrived, they found the woman had 57 dogs in her trailer. In Weld County, a maximum of eight dogs are allowed on property of 10 or more acres. She was far above the limit. She surrendered 53 of the dogs, and was cited for not having proof of rabies vaccinations. Apparently, this woman has had issues with animal hoarding in other states. While this is a more extreme example, animal hoarding and its consequences can be serious, no matter how many animals are being kept.
You need an advocate to tell your side of the story.
What is the Sentence for Animal Cruelty Charges?
Cruelty to Animals – C.R.S. 18-9-202, is usually charged as a class 6 felony. A person convicted of class 6 felony Cruelty to Animals can expect the possibility of prison time (up to 18 months). Another consequence of animal hoarding is that these cases are severely hyped in the media. In the Scientific Constructions Journal, doctor Gary Patronek says:
If you have been charged with Cruelty to Animals after hoarding dogs, horses, or other pets in Greeley, Evans, or Erie, don’t stand alone in court when you are being sensationalized by the media. The District Attorney will feel pressure from the public, and you won’t have an advocate to tell your side of the story, or make sure you get the help you need. Your future is at stake – contact one of our skilled criminal defense lawyers if you have been accused of animal hoarding by criminal complaint. We work hard to get the best possible outcome for our clients.
If you or a loved one faces charges for animal hoarding, be smart and exercise your right to remain silent. Then, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the O’Malley Law Office for a free consultation at 970-616-6009. Together, we can protect your future.
Image Credit: Pixabay – Ryniu1234