Hoarder violated judge's ruling
Suffolk, VA (US)Incident Date: Friday, Jan 7, 2011
County: Suffolk City
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Jennifer Eileen Harrell
A Suffolk animal lover is in trouble again. The Commonwealth's Attorney says Jennifer Harrell violated a judge's ruling.
On Friday, Suffolk Animal Control officers counted five goats at Jennifer Harrell's home on Deer Path Road. On Wednesday, WAVY.com visited the same home and counted seven. Three dogs roamed the front yard.
A nearby resident says the menagerie in the front yard often wanders past her property.
"My mom's flower beds are always torn up. There's patches in the grass where the horses used to escape," said the man who asked not to be identified.
In December 2009, a judge ruled Harrell could own one agricultural animal and one domestic animal after she pleaded guilty to nearly a dozen animal cruelty misdemeanors. Several of those charges included malnourished horses found tied to trees off Wilroy Road in September 2009.
Since then, animal control officers monitored the property regularly and watched her gather the goats and dogs.
"They've been able to give this information to the Commonwealth's Attorney whose been able to show not just on this one day, but there's been a pattern of the animals not only being there but building up as well," said city spokesperson Debbie George.
While Harrell's heart may be in the right place, at least one resident believes it ultimately winds up hurting the animals. "When she first gets the animals, she's all about that animal that comes in the house and she's real loving and over time it gets neglected," he said.
If Harrell is found guilty of violating the judge's order she could face jail time. No court date has been set yet. References |
