Three puppies shot
Baxter, TN (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Jan 31, 2007
County: Putnam
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Dismissed (Conditional)
Person of Interest: Jimmy Mark Goff
A Baxter man who was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals several months ago has been granted pretrial diversion in exchange for community service and an order to not own any dogs for a year.
Jimmy Mark Goff was arrested in February after he allegedly shot three of his own dogs and later pulled down the fence to a kennel that injured another dog.
Reportedly, Goff told sheriff's deputies that he admitted shooting the puppies because he was mad.
Three Great Pyrenees mixed puppies and the mother of those dogs survived the attack, and two of those puppies and the mother have been kept at the Cookeville-Putnam County Animal Shelter since Goff was arrested.
The other puppy lost its eye and underwent surgery by a Cookeville veterinarian and is now in foster care, according to Laurie Green, director of the Cookeville-Putnam County Animal Shelter.
Assistant District Attorney Beth Willis said Goff was granted pretrial diversion in May 2007 in General Sessions Judge John Hudson's court under the conditions that he completes 24 hours of community service and does not own any dogs for a year.
He also cannot reclaim the dogs that are at the shelter and must pay $203 in restitution to the shelter, although the shelter's bill for caring for the animals for several months is close to $1,500.
"He has to comply and stay out of trouble," Willis said. "If he messes up again, we can prosecute on the original charge."
Aggravated cruelty to animals is a Class E felony.
Green said she was pleased with the outcome of the case.
"I'm happy he won't be allowed to own dogs during pretrial diversion for a year, and he gives up all claims to the dogs," she said. "They belong to the shelter now.
"I think as a community we have to realize that this type of animal cruelty is a precursor to what that person will do to another human being," Green said. "Violent crimes against people usually begin with animal cruelty. These are dangerous people, and we need to make sure they know this will not be taken lightly."
Green also noted that now that the case is resolved, those surviving dogs at the shelter may now be adopted.
"Caution will have to be used because they're so attached to the shelter," Green said. "The puppies have grown up here. They're adoptable dogs, but it's going to take someone to realize, they're institutionalized."
The shelter's staff also named the dogs in recognition of their plight.
The mother's dog is named Cinderella, and the two remaining puppies at the shelter are Jesse and Jewel. References« TN State Animal Cruelty Map
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