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Case #11009 Rating: 2.2 out of 5
Hoarding - 6 dogs starving, 3 dogs, 5 cats dead
Tularosa, NM (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Mar 11, 2007
County: Otero
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Defendants/Suspects:
» Margaret Catlin
» Seth Catlin
Case Updates: 3 update(s) available
The Otero County Sheriff's Department is seeking two individuals wanted for questioning in the deaths of several dogs and cats at a Tularosa residence.
According to Undersheriff Norbert Sanchez, Seth and Margaret Catlin, 26 and 60, respectively, are listed as the last known renters of the residence on No. 6 Sunview where sheriff's deputies discovered the rotting corpses of three dogs and five cats and six alive but severely malnourished dogs on March 11.
Sanchez said the two have allegedly operated a Web site highlonesome0.tripod.com that offers animal adoption services. Photographs of two of the recovered dogs were located on the site by investigators. The photographs show healthy animals.
According to court documents, Seth Catlin has been previously charged with one count of animal cruelty and 16 counts of failure to vaccinate animals in two separate cases.
Sanchez said his department has received an influx of offers of support and requests to adopt the animals. Community Service Officer Charlie Gonzales said three of the dogs are already in foster care. An employee of Staley's Animal Clinic where the dogs were taken and cared for said one of the dogs was taken to the pound and two still remain at the clinic.
Sanchez asked anyone who has done business with the Catlins via the Web site or knows their whereabouts to contact the sheriff's office at 437-2210.
Case UpdatesOtero County Sheriff John Blansett expressed his anger over an animal abuse case that concluded today with what he called "a big disappointment."
Margaret Catlin, who allegedly left several dogs and cats to perish inside a well house in Tularosa last year, was charged with fourth degree felonies. She pleaded no contest to misdemeanors Monday.
"For interest of justice or whatever reason, the District Attorney allowed her (Catlin) to make a plea on misdemeanor charges," Blansett said Monday.
The incident occurred at Sunset Acres last March, where Catlin and her 25-year-old son, Seth, were questioned following the discovery of three dead dogs and five dead cats inside a pump house. Six living but severely malnourished dogs were outside the pump house.
Undersheriff Norbert Sanchez said the two had been charged last year with eight counts each of extreme cruelty to animals, one for each of the eight animals found dead. Extreme cruelty to animals is a felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison for each count.
"We would have rather seen her take a plea for felony counts, due to the gravity of the charges and by us having knowledge of the original crime scene," Blansett said.
"In all of my years with the OCSD, and John's (Blansett), we have never seen this kind of cruelty to animals," said Undersheriff Norbert Sanchez.
"We are not happy about seeing this end up a misdemeanor conviction at all," Blansett said.
After accpeting the plea deal, Catlin was sentenced to a total of five years, less five days. The sentence was suspended for all but time already served and she will remain on probation for the remaining portion of her sentence. She was also ordered to have no contact with animals, animal rights organizations or her son, Seth Catlin. | Source: Alamagordo News - March 11, 2008
Update posted on Mar 11, 2008 - 5:51PM |
An Otero County man has pleaded no contest to five felony counts of extreme animal cruelty to animals.
Twenty-five-year-old Seth Catlin entered his plea Tuesday in Alamogordo.
He's been sentenced by state District Judge Jerry Ritter to a year in jail and five years' supervised probation.
Otero County sheriff's deputies found the decomposed bodies of three dogs and five cats at a Tularosa home where Catlin and his mother had lived.
Deputies say they found the dead animals locked inside a pump house and six starving dogs outside the pump house on March 11th. | Source: KOB - Dec 5, 2007
Update posted on Dec 5, 2007 - 1:29PM |
Two Otero County residents wanted for allegedly leaving several dogs and cats to slowly perish inside a well house in Tularosa have been apprehended.
Undersheriff Norbert Sanchez of the Otero County Sheriff's Department said officers served a search warrant Tuesday at 20748 Highway 70 West. Margaret Catlin, 61, and Seth Catlin, 25, were arrested and booked into the Otero County Detention Center on $90,000, no 10-percent bond.
Sanchez said the two have been charged with eight counts each of extreme cruelty to animals, one for each animal allegedly left inside the pumphouse.
Extreme cruelty to animals is a fourth degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison.
He said the Catlins have also been charged with five counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals. Those charges stem from five dogs that were left outside the pump house.
The Catlins were allegedly in possession of six more dogs and a cat at the time the search warrant was served. Sanchez said those animals had been taken to Staley's Veterinary Clinic in Alamogordo.
The two were in the process of being evicted from their residence, Sanchez said.
The Catlins were wanted for questioning following the March 11 discovery by sheriff's deputies of three dead dogs and five dead cats locked inside a pump house at a residence once occupied by the Catlins. Six living but severely malnourished dogs were found outside the pumphouse.
The Catlins are believed to have operated a Web site that offered animal adoption services. Seth Catlin had been previously charged with animal cruelty and 16 counts of failure to vaccinate animals. | Source: Alamogordo Daily News - April 11, 2007
Update posted on Apr 11, 2007 - 1:34PM |
References
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