The 11th District Court of Appeals rejected the argument that a volunteer cannot be criminally liable for animal cruelty or neglect. Facts. Jo Ann Brantweiner was charged with 8 counts of companion animal cruelty involving a total of 97 dogs and cats. The animals were kept by a nonprofit organization known as the Animal Rescue…
State of Ohio v. Travis Wargo and Cari Welk, a case prosecuted for Lake Humane Society. Wargo and Welk both pled guilty to animal neglect. The case involved two cats, Liam and Logan, and a dog, Lily, that were kept in deplorable conditions.The animals suffered from various untreated medical conditions. While the other animals were…
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 v. April McCartney, a case we prosecuted for the Ashland County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the Ashland County Humane Society. McCartney was convicted of one count of companion animal neglect regarding 4 cats, 8 dogs and a bearded dragon lizard. Most of the dogs were tied outside in a yard heaped with garbage…
State of Ohio v. Mary Wawyrtko, Joseph Scott Gray, and Jessica Oslander, cases prosecuted for the Cleveland APL. Defendants were sentenced yesterday. They will have to complete 5 years of active probation. During probation, the Defendants are prohibited from owning more than 2 spayed or neutered animals. They may continue to volunteer as cat caretakers…
State of Ohio v. Mary Wawyrtko, Joseph Scott Gray, and Jessica Oslander, cases prosecuted for the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Wawyrtko, Gray, and Oslander were the primary operators of The Cat Crossing rescue and sanctuary. They were charged with multiple counts related to 147 neglected cats kept in filthy conditions at the sanctuary. Wawrytko has…
State of Ohio v. Anthony Gobis, a case prosecuted for Lake Humane Society. Gobis was charged with animal neglect related to the care of his cat, Mufasa. Mufasa suffered from a serious facial injury that went untreated, allowing maggots, mites, and infection to set in. Gobis pled no contest to one count of animal neglect.…
State v. Danette Kerr, a case we prosecuted for the Portage County APL was resolved today. 112 animals were seized from Kerr’s property on July 22, 2014. 18 dogs and 3 cats exhibited signs of neglect including dehydration, emaciation, matted fur, severe dental disease and a variety of untreated conditions that caused suffering. 82 birds…
State v. Nancy and Christopher Farley; cases we prosecuted for the Lake Humane Society. A car was towed to a repair shop, filled with clothing and other personal items. The smell was so strong inside the vehicle that the mechanic thought it contained a dead body. He called the police who then summoned Humane Agents…