Hoarding - 170 animals
Mojave, CA (US)Incident Date: Thursday, May 3, 2007
County: Kern
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Defendants/Suspects:
» Cynthia Lee Bemis
» Cynthia Trapani
Case Updates: 3 update(s) available
Officers with Kern County's Animal Control division searched the home Thursday of a woman accused of repeated animal neglect.
Cindy Bemis has been accused of animal neglect in Kern and two other counties. She operates a nonprofit rescue sanctuary for pets that are slated to be euthanized.
Animal Control officials said that she is a hoarder, or someone who collects too many animals than she can care for. They said that they searched her home Thursday to build a case of animal neglect against her.
Bemis was scrutinized years ago when a mobile home fire on her property killed almost 50 dogs and 10 cats, most of which were trapped inside the unit.
Bemis said she has documentation to prove that all the animals on her property have adequate veterinary care.
After the search Thursday, one animal on the premises was euthanized and another taken into urgent care, according to representative Denise Haynes.
Case UpdatesCynthia Bemis and Cynthia Trapani called themselves animal rescuers and housed more than 170 dogs at a Mojave compound. Late Monday afternoon, a jury said they were not rescuers -- they were animal abusers.
Bemis, 61, and Trapani, 48, each were convicted of animal cruelty -- 14 felony counts for Bemis, six felony counts for Trapani. Each could face prison sentences of as long as nine years.
The verdict came after two days of deliberation.
Bemis has been accused of animal cruelty in three different counties.
Both were arrested two years ago after Kern County Animal Control officers raided the Mojave compound on which they lived with more than 170 dogs.
They said they were saving the animals from euthanization, but humane officers said many of the dogs were suffering under deplorable conditions.
''It was a continuing enterprise of dogs that were horribly neglected,'' said Deputy District Attorney Andrea Kohler. ''When dogs were seized, they accumulated even more ... there was a lack of veterinary care. Some were emaciated, or near-emaciated.''
Animal Control officers visited the Bemis-Trapani compound several times before the arrests, each time warning the two Cynthias the dogs needed to be better treated.
When sufficient changes were not made, the two were arrested in May 2007.
Their defense at trial was that they were doing the best they could with limited resources.
Trapani also was accused of battery on an Animal Control officer. She was convicted of the lesser crime of resisting arrest.
Sentencing is set for June 24. | Source: kget.com - May 18, 2009
Update posted on Jun 24, 2009 - 3:27PM |
| Kern County Animal Control officers, backed by sheriff's deputies, raided Cindy Bemis' property on East Trotter Avenue southeast of Mojave Tuesday in response to alleged animal abuse. They impounded two cats and nine dogs, said Animal Control Chief Denise Haynes. For more on this new case, click here. | Source: Trading Markets - March 6, 2008
Update posted on Mar 9, 2008 - 12:50PM |
County Animal Control wants to shut down her dog compound for good, but Bemis said her rights as a dog owner are being violated.
Kern County Animal Control counted 170 dogs in Bemis' care after searching her property.
Animal control officials said for years, she's been moving between San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Kern County trying to find a place for so many dogs.
Kern County has no kennel laws, so Bemis believes her rights as a dog owner are being violated.
But animal control said she can't possibly give so many dogs the proper care.
"They aren't allowed to take anything," said Bemis. "They aren't allowed to do anything. They are just harassing me, and I have been being harassed by this county for many years and now it's getting worse."
"Our concern has always been the neglect of the animals and I truly feel that she is not purposely neglectful, and she feels she takes excellent care of her animals," said Denise Haynes, Kern County Animal Control. "The fact of the matter is that she does not ... there is evidence of neglect."
Animal control had a warrant to search the property to investigate the possibility of neglect.
Two animal control staff veterinarians examined the dogs for signs of disease or any type of neglect.
Haynes said so far, one dog has been seized and another put down because both were severely ill.
Haynes said they will present all the information from the search to the District Attorney's Office in hopes felony charges will be filed against Bemis.
The charges could keep Bemis from owning animals again. | Source: KGET - May 3, 2007
Update posted on May 5, 2007 - 3:00AM |
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