State of Ohio v. Sheri (Shari) Gilbert, a case prosecuted for Lake Humane Society. Gilbert pled guilty to all 10 counts of animal neglect on the day of trial. 24 animals, including dogs, cats, parrots, a guinea pig, and ferrets, were seized from Gilbert’s home. The animals were kept in deplorable conditions and suffered from…
State of Ohio v. Robert Dunning, a case prosecuted for the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Dunning was charged with one count of companion animal neglect for the starvation of his dog, Buster. Buster was found outside with filthy water and no food. He was emaciated and severely dehydrated. This case occurred prior to the enactment…
State v. Sandra Rae Paul, a case we prosecuted for the Loudonville Police, with help from the Humane Society of Ashland County Ohio, was ound guilty of animal cruelty yesterday, and taken to jail. The evidence showed that the chickens were left in the van for at least 7.5 hours on a day when temperatures…
State of Ohio v. Sandra Kay Benedum, a case prosecuted for Pawsibilities Humane Society of Greater Akron and also handled by the Summit County Dog Warden. Benedum, 70, pled guilty to two counts of companion animal neglect regarding 1 dog named Tibet. Tibet had multiple open wounds filled with hundreds of maggots when Benedum brought…
Governor John Kasich recently signed three important bills into law that concern protections for this state’s animals. Here is a brief summary of each bill: (1) SB 215: Grants good faith rescuers immunity from civil liability for damages incurred while using necessary force to enter a locked motor vehicle to help an animal or minor…
Goddard’s Law was originally introduced in 2013 as House Bill 274. Reintroduced in 2015 as House Bill 60, Goddard’s Law has undergone significant changes from its original form. Here is a summary chart of Goddard’s Law as passed by the House and under consideration by the Senate: Holland & Muirden’s Summary of Goddard’s Law As…
What is Bestiality? Bestiality, sexual conduct between a human and an animal, is legal in Ohio unless it can be proven that unnecessary or unjustifiable pain or suffering was caused to the animal. Ohio is one of only a dozen states without a specific law banning bestiality. It is demonstrated that bestiality, like other animal…
State of Ohio v. Donald Lane, a case prosecuted for the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Charges in this case were filed in 2014 related to three dogs with dermatitis from flea infestation that were kept in filthy conditions. Lane refused to control the dogs during the seizure and one ultimately bit the Humane Agent. Lane…
State of Ohio v. Jennifer Toth, a case prosecuted for the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Toth was charged with one count of animal cruelty related to a Lemur named Nova that had an untreated broken leg. The leg was broken at the time Toth purchased the animal. Toth pled to one count of attempted cruelty…
State of Ohio v. Darlene and Alyssa Morrow, a case prosecuted for Lake Humane Society. Darlene and Alyssa Morrow were each charged with neglect related to the care of Alyssa’s dog, Honey. Alyssa Morrow was previously convicted of animal neglect in a case prosecuted by the Painesville Police just 4 days before this incident occurred.…