Case Details
A Las Cruces public school teacher may face numerous charges for animal cruelty after Dona Ana County Sheriff's investigators seized 125 animals from his home on June 29, 2007.
According to sheriff's department spokesman Bo Nevarez, deputies and animal control officers worked until midnight to remove an assortment of animals from the home of Jack Catlan. Catlan works as a speech pathologist at Picacho Middle School, he said.
"One kitten died en route to the animal shelter," Nevarez said. "The animals recovered are now considered evidence and have been placed in the care of the animal shelter." Investigators removed 33 dogs, 59 cats, 25 chickens, five ducks, two goats and a rooster in the round up. Case UpdatesTwenty-four dogs seized from a Las Cruces home will be put up for adoption at a no-kill shelter in Texas.
The Animal Rescue League of El Paso has agreed to accept the dogs from the Dona Ana County Humane Society, which was overcrowded.
A total of 125 animals had been seized last month from Jack Catlan's home and sent to the humane society.
The director of the shelter, Alan Davis, says he had asked several animal groups in neighboring states if they'd be willing to take some of the pets. The last of the 24 dogs arrived in Texas Friday.
Catlan faces 20 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty and one count of hoarding. His was the fourth animal hoarding case in the Las Cruces area since mid-May. | Source: KOB - July 22, 2007
Update posted on Jul 22, 2007 - 6:25AM |
Sheriff's investigators were continuing their investigation into the county's latest animal hoarding and abuse case. Jack Catlan, a 55-year-old Las Cruces Public Schools employee, has been charged with 20 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty and one count of hoarding.
Now, investigators have reason to believe the man's animal breeding operation on Fairacres Drive may have resulted in a number of ill animals being sold to residents.
Investigator Bo Nevarez issued a call Thursday for anyone who may have purchased a pet from Catlan to contact the Do�a Ana Sheriff's Department if their animal was in poor health.
According to a news release, the sheriff's department received three calls Thursday from residents who said they purchased animals from Catlan that were ill or developed health problems.
The sheriff's department can be reached at 525-1911. Residents should ask for Nevarez or investigator Robyn Gojkovich. | Source: Las Cruces Sun - July 6, 2007
Update posted on Jul 6, 2007 - 4:11PM |
A Las Cruces educator has been charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty and one count of animal hoarding but will not be arrested.
Jack Catlan, 55, a speech pathologist at Picacho Middle School, was charged Tuesday by the Do�a Ana County Sheriff's Department.
If convicted, Catlan could face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The charges were filed in state District Court.
"We just didn't feel it was necessary to go out and arrest him," said sheriff's investigator Bo Nevarez. "Charges are being filed in District Court and we'll go from there."
Catlan got the attention of investigators last week after neighbors contacted the sheriff's department about the number of animals on his property.
On June 28, the sheriff's department seized 59 cats, 33 dogs, 25 chickens, five ducks, two goats and a rooster from Catlan's home in the 500 block of Fairacres Drive. A search warrant was served to Catlan, but he refused to allow deputies into his home and on his property. Catlan held officers at bay for more than three hours.
When deputies were finally able to enter Catlan's house they spent 10 hours removing 125 animals from his property. Investigators examined the animals and determined that charges would be filed.
Nevarez said some of the animals suffered from different forms of neglect.
"Some of the cats had upper respiratory infections because of their proximity to one another," Nevarez said. "The ammonia (from the cat urine) made the cats sick."
Nevarez said some of the dogs had sores because the hair on their bodies was matted and twisted so tightly.
"There was one female dog that was bred so much she had a perforated uterus," he said.
Nevarez said despite the condition of the animals, they would not be put to sleep.
"At this point in time, there are no plans to euthanize the animals," Nevarez said. "Investigators will attempt to meet with Catlan's attorney to see if Catlan will agree to have the animals treated medically and otherwise, at his cost."
Nevarez said if Catlan was not willing to pay for their care and treatment the county will issue a court order to have the animals turned over to the county in order that the animals can be treated and possibly put up for adoption.
Catlan said he was not aware of any charges filed against him and referred all questions to his attorney, Larry Pickett.
Meanwhile, Las Cruces Public Schools officials could consider actions of their own.
LCPS spokeswoman Jo Galv�n said a sheriff's department news release on the criminal complaint had been forwarded to the LCPS human resources department. A determination on Catlan's status still had not been made late Tuesday.
The charges:
20 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty, contrary to state law, including 10 counts of cruelty to animals for cats, 10 counts of cruelty to animals for dogs
One count of animal hoarding, contrary to Do�a Ana County ordinance | Source: Las Cruces Sun - July 4, 2007
Update posted on Jul 5, 2007 - 2:39PM |
Criminal charges are expected today in Dona Ana County's latest animal hoarding case.
Investigators on Monday continued to build a case against 55-year-old Jack Catlan, waiting on final health reports from a veterinarian for the roughly 125 dogs, cats, ducks, chickens and goats seized from the property.
Do�a Ana County sheriff's investigator Robyn Gojkovich said Monday the animals were being held and evaluated at the county animal shelter. Charges of animal hoarding were likely, she said. Depending on the veterinarian's report, either misdemeanor or felony charges of animal cruelty may also be leveled.
Meanwhile, Catlan, who works as a speech pathologist at Picacho Middle School, was simply hoping for the return of his livestock, pets and breeding animals, he said.
The animals in question � about 30 dogs, two goats, numerous chickens, 10 ducks and several dozen cats � were seized from Catlan's home in the 500 block of North Fairacres Drive on Thursday after a warrant was issued.
Sheriff's deputies and animal control officers obtained the warrant to seize the animals after Catlan reportedly refused to cooperate with investigators.
A neighbor tipped police to the abundance of animals. But Catlan maintains he had been conducting his breeding business and keeping livestock on his property for years.
Investigators originally anticipated filing charges Monday, but evaluation of the animals' health was not yet complete, said DASO investigator Bo Nevarez. Gojkovich said one kitten died in transit. The remaining animals were being held at the shelter.
"The cats are being tested for feline leukemia and any feline diseases," she said. "They do have some upper respiratory diseases caused from a large amount of cats being in an enclosed area."
She said there was some concern about the health of the dogs as well.
"We are real concerned with their hair," she said. "It's so matted (it is) causing sores on their backs. It's extremely painful."
Catlan maintains the goats, ducks and chicken were kept as livestock, and many were obtained through trade from his breeding business. The dogs and cats were part of his business sideline of breeding and selling pets, a business that had slowed down recently, leading to the large number of animals on the property.
Catlan said he has attempted to work with the county over the past several months to obtain the proper permits for having that number of animals on his property. When the sheriff's office seized the animals Thursday, he said it took him by surprise.
"I had tried and tried over the course of several months to establish a relationship with animal control," Catlan said. When the officers showed up to inspect the animals, "I wasn't a happy person. I was shocked."
Catlan said he just wanted his pets and stock returned, and was willing to pay for whatever license or permit was required.
"I want my animals back," he said. "I don't feel there was any need for any of this."
Catlan said he moved to the three-quarter acre property so he could have his livestock and have space to run his breeding business.
"Basically, I moved here to this particular property for my animals," he said. "They've taken everyone to the pound. They assured me over and over they would be taken well care of and be well fed.
"I know I can't keep everybody," he added. "But that would be my preference. Please give them time to be placed. I don't want them left where they can be killed or euthanized."
This marks the third case of suspected animal hoarding reported in the county recently.
A Las Cruces woman pleaded no contest to 73 counts of failure to adequately provide proper care and maintenance and one count of violating her kennel license after a May 12 electrical fire in a van outside her home led to the deaths of 73 cats. Sixty died in the fire, largely of smoke inhalation, and the other 13 were euthanized. Animal control officers subsequently confiscated 21 cats from a downtown building the woman managed.
Some 129 cats were taken from a Mesilla Park home on May 15. They were euthanized because they suffered a variety of ailments, including feline leukemia and AIDS.
Thirty-four live cats and 16 dead ones were found May 16 at another Las Cruces home.
Gojkovich said hoarding was costly to the county, cruel to animals and devastating to families, but the primary concern must be about the animals' welfare.
"It's more like these people are satisfying a human need to keep animals and control them," she said. "Now we have these animals in our custody and we need to care for these animals. That's our number one concern." | Source: Las Cruces Sun - July 3, 2007
Update posted on Jul 3, 2007 - 3:57PM |
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