Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: 4 dogs abandoned, 3 starve to death

4 dogs abandoned, 3 starve to death
Clearwater, FL (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Nov 7, 2006
County: Pinellas
Local Map: available
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 4 files available

Alleged: Donald Horton Bryant

Case Updates: 2 update(s) available

Case ID: 10226

Classification: Neglect / Abandonment

Animal: dog (non pit-bull)

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Suspect was in animal welfare field

An animal groomer has been arrested on charges of animal cruelty. Pinellas County Sheriff's detectives arrested 54-year-old Donald Bryant of Clearwater on four counts of felony animal cruelty after he abandoned four show dogs without food or water for a period of more than a month.

Deputies were first dispatched Bryant's home on November 7, after a neighbor became concerned for the Bryant's welfare. The neighbor reported a foul smell coming from Bryant's home and told deputies she had not seen him in quite some time.

When deputies entered the home, they found three of the dogs dead and the fourth dog extremely emaciated and barely alive.

Detectives say the dead animals were in a state of decomposition when found, but appeared to be two standard poodles and a large breed schnauzer. The fourth dog was also a standard poodle. It survived after receiving veterinary care through the Humane Society.

According to detectives, the suspect had abandoned the dogs sometime in late September or early October. The dogs were in their locked cages for weeks without food or water before they were discovered.

Detectives say Bryant returned to the home on Wednesday, November 29, where he was arrested as he removed his remaining belongings.

Case Updates

On Friday, deputies said Bryant was cited, but not prosecuted, for animal neglect four years ago. Deputies said Bryant left exotic birds in deplorable living conditions.

"Donald stated for the past three and one-half months he has been living with a friend in Sarasota," said the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office report. "He said he returns to the occurred (sic) every Monday to provide food and water for the birds."

The sheriff's report quotes a veterinarian saying despite their living conditions the birds appeared to be of average weight. They all survived.

The sheriff's office took pictures showing a dead rat, trash, and six exotic birds left in filthy cages.

In the dog case, deputies say Bryant told them he was staying on a boat with a friend. Deputies suspect Bryant had abandoned the dogs for two to three months. Three dogs died, but one survived.

"The only reason the fourth dog didn't die, he broke out of his kennel and he drank water out of the toilet and he ate hard, raw spaghetti," said dog breeder Diane Naimen.

Another dog almost chewed his way out, but died inside his cage.

"He got three of the locks off," Naimen said. "He died getting the fourth one off. The teeth were gone."

Bryant is facing four felony animal abuse charges and is out on bond.

"According to some seasoned deputies and detectives this was the worst thing they've ever seen in their careers," said Pinellas County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Jim Bordner, referring to the dog case.

Source: Bay News 8 - Dec 16, 2006
Update posted on Dec 16, 2006 - 12:50PM

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Cagin, a standard poodle, was able to break out of his cage, perhaps because it was plastic, and lived off toilet water and boxes of spaghetti he tore open until he was rescued by Pinellas County sheriff's deputies.

Hoover, a giant schnauzer, was not so lucky. A wily animal known for unlatching sliding glass doors, he almost broke out of his metal cage, breaking three of the four clips placed on the door to keep him inside. But he died.

So did two other dogs left inside separate cages at the home of Donald H. Bryant - Voodoo and Commando, both standard poodles.

Bryant, 54, was arrested Wednesday after he returned to his home at 2161 Hillwood Court, and he was charged with four counts of felony animal cruelty, said Pinellas County sheriff's Sgt. Jim Bordner. The four animals were left without food and water for weeks, the spokesman said.

Bryant's uncle, Gary Noland, described his nephew as an Air Force veteran who had been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic and has heart problems. He was being treated at Bay Pines Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

Bryant often passed himself off as a retired doctor and made enough of an impression at dog shows to convince people he was knowledgeable about grooming and handling dogs, his uncle said. The owners of the four dogs left in Bryant's care presumed he was going to show them in their stead, Noland said.

"He talked a good line, and he looked the part," said Noland, a 72-year-old retired researcher. Noland was living at the house until September, when he left to help family in New Orleans.

When he returned, after the dogs were discovered, Noland couldn't believe what he saw. Cagin, the survivor, had been taken by animal control workers, but the other three were still in their cages. All that was left of them were snatches of fur and their skulls.

"You can't blame it all on the disease," he said of his nephew's mental affliction. "It's just not human to do that."

He said he concluded how Cagin survived because there was no water left in the toilet and the boxes of spaghetti were found torn apart.

Cagin's owner considers herself blessed.

"The good Lord was with him," said Myrna Cagle of Lacomb, La. "I know I was lucky."

Cagle said she had left her dog with Bryant so Bryant could "hair" the dog, or get its coat long for show. She wanted Bryant to walk the dog in competitions in Florida so Cagin wouldn't be competing with his brothers and sisters in other parts of the country.

Noland said a water-meter reader had noticed a foul smell coming from the home and presumed there might be the body of a person decomposing inside. The meter reader contacted a neighbor, who contacted authorities Nov. 7, Noland said.

Bordner said it appeared Bryant left the house in late September or early October.

Kenny Mitchell, director of veterinarian services with Pinellas County Animal Services, said Cagin weighed 35 pounds, when he should have weighed 50 pounds. The animal was covered in feces, infested with parasites and dehydrated. It took three days to bring the animal up to normal rations, and he had to be dewormed.

He remained with animal services for 15 days before he was released.

Source: TBO - Dec 1, 2006
Update posted on Dec 3, 2006 - 11:58PM

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References

	Tampa Bay's 10 - Nov 30, 3006
	St Peterburg Times - Dec 1, 2006

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4 dogs abandoned, 3 starve to deathClearwater, FL (US)

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4 dogs abandoned, 3 starve to death
Clearwater, FL (US)