Attorneys/Judges
| Prosecutor(s): | Patrick Amason | | Defense(s): | Doug Bates, Deborah Seagle | | Judge(s): | Derek Peterson |
Images for this Case
CONVICTED: Was justice served?
more information on voting
When you vote, you are voting on whether or not the punishment fit the crime, NOT on the severity of the case itself. If you feel the sentence was very weak, you would vote 1 star. If you feel the sentence was very strong, you would vote 5 stars.
Please vote honestly and realistically. These ratings will be used a a tool for many future programs, including a "People’s Choice" of best and worst sentencing, DA and judge "report cards", and more. Try to resist the temptation to vote 1 star on every case, even if you feel that 100 years in prison isn’t enough.
Case #17493 Rating: 2.4 out of 5
Over 200 animals rescued from shelter
Gordon, AL (US)Incident Date: Monday, Feb 28, 2011
County: Houston
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 3 files available
Defendants/Suspects:
» Pam Andrews
» Mary Ann Godfrey
Case Updates: 3 update(s) available
A Houston County woman will face criminal charges after sheriff's deputies and Humane Society of the United States volunteers rescued more than 200 animals from her property Monday.
Deputies and Humane Society workers arrived at Dirty Sally's Pet Pals in rural Gordon at 7:30 a.m. Monday and found at least 180 dogs and between 40 and 50 cats living in "deplorable conditions," according to Humane Society Public Information officer Jordan Crump.
Sheriff Andy Hughes said no charges had been filed as of Monday afternoon, but "they're coming."
Dirty Sally's, which Crump said claims to be a nonprofit organization designed to offer animals for adoption, is owned and operated by Pam Andrews, 66, who was acquitted of animal cruelty charges in 1995.
"We've known about this situation for several weeks and have been working on a plan with the Humane Society of the United States," Hughes said. "They brought down numerous volunteers, a tractor trailer that can haul about 100 animals at the same time, and helped us out with this. We just had to do something, but we needed the resources to do it."
Neighbors and motorists first tipped the sheriff's department to the problem, and the Humane Society was contacted shortly thereafter.
Crump said the scene was clearly one of neglect.
"You could see the animals from the street," she said. "It's very ramshackled, kind of a broken-down property and very overgrown. There are a lot of dogs chained to trees, many dogs kept in big, muddy, feces-filled pens, and it's a really large property, about 22 acres. There are dogs everywhere you look. Dogs sitting in empty cages, chained to trees, and it's really kind of a weird scene. It doesn't look very good at all."
Crump said some of the animals are suffering from skin ailments like mange, while others are malnourished and some have untreated wounds.
United Animal Nations, a California-based nonprofit organization, is operating a temporary shelter at the National Peanut Festival fairgrounds, and the Humane Society is transporting the animals in groups to the shelter for evaluations from multiple veterinarians.
Crump said the number of animals transported could end up being more than 250.
"There were about 180 dogs just outside, and we haven't been into the homes yet," she said. "There's a home and several trailers on the property. This is definitely on the higher end of cases we've had. That's a large-scale boarding situation. I'm not sure we've done anything bigger than that in recent years in Alabama."
Hughes said he's never been involved in an animal case as widespread as this one.
"This is not something we usually see on this magnitude," he said. "We couldn't just go down and say, 'We're taking these dogs,' because we had no resources to handle that type of situation. We want to do it as humanely as possible and get the animals evaluated."
The animals will be housed at the fairgrounds for the next few days, receiving any veterinary care or immunizations they require, after which they'll be transported to various shelters.
Crump said most of the animals are adoptable once their ailments are treated.
Case UpdatesTwo Gordon women pleaded guilty Wednesday to multiple animal cruelty charges, which involved the seizure of 228 dogs and cats by officials with the Humane Society of the Unites States.
Both Pam Andrews, 67, and Marianne Gofrey, 52, pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor animal cruelty charge. District Court Judge Derek Peterson sentenced each woman to six months hard labor in the Houston County Jail, which was suspended for two years probation.
Houston County Sheriff's deputies arrested both women earlier this year in March after authorities seized 228 animals from their property as part of an animal cruelty investigation that involved the Humane Society of the United States. Deputies and Humane Society officials seized 197 dogs and 31 cats from Dirty Sally's Pet Pals, Andrews' business, after allegedly finding them malnourished and neglected.
Sheriff Andy Hughes said earlier that Godfrey lived on the property and claimed 35 of the dogs.
Peterson also ordered Andrews to not be involved in any type of animal rescue for the next two years.
"I order you at no time to have more than two dogs on your property," Peterson said.
Peterson said there will be a restitution held at a later date in the case.
Assistant Houston County District Attorney Patrick Amason said the Humane Society of the United States incurred costs of $57,129 for the treatment given to the 228 animals.
Mindy Gilbert, the Alabama director of the Humane Society of the United States, said about 30 of the animals had to be euthanized.
"Our belief was that the evidence was pretty over whelming that these animals were neglected," Gilbert said. "We have a network of placement partners through other shelters around the country, and they then have been placed in their adoption programs."
According to an earlier Dothan Eagle report, Gilbert said some of the dogs had skin issues and parasite problems, while most were malnourished and emaciated. Jordan Crump, a spokesperson for the Humane Society of the United States, said the breed of dogs on the property ranged from shepherd mixes, to Labrador mix, to a few Chihuahua and terriers, to a few pure breeds, including a Blue Heeler and German shorthaired pointer.
Lawyers Doug Bates, who represented Andrews, and Deborah Seagle, who represented Godfrey, sought to have the evidence in the case thrown out on grounds it was acquired through an illegal search of the property.
Peterson denied the request prior to accepting the guilty pleas. Both Andrews and Godfrey can appeal their case to Houston County Circuit for a jury trial. | Source: dothaneagle.com - Jun 29, 2011
Update posted on Jun 30, 2011 - 6:21PM |
The criminal cases filed against two Gordon women involving animal cruelty on more than 200 dogs and cats has been delayed.
Assistant Houston County District Attorney Patrick Amason said the cases filed against Pam Andrews, 66, and Marianne Godfrey, 52, both of Grimsley Road, have been specially set for May 16 in front of District Court Judge Benjamin Lewis.
Each woman faces a single count of misdemeanor animal cruelty. If convicted, both face up to a year in the county jail. The cases were originally set to go to trial on Wednesday.
Court records indicate attorney Doug Bates has been retained to represent Andrews. Records also indicate Godfrey has retained attorney Deborah Seagle to represent her in court. | Source: dothaneagle.com - Apr 27, 2011
Update posted on Apr 27, 2011 - 10:26PM |
Two Gordon women are charged with misdemeanor cruelty to animals after authorities seized 228 animals from their property Monday.
Houston County Sheriff Andy Hughes said Pamela Andrews, 66, and Mary Ann Godfrey, 52, turned themselves in Wednesday morning.
The two are charged with one count each of misdemeanor animal cruelty. Both were released from the Houston County Jail after paying $1,000 bonds.
Deputies and the Humane Society of the United States seized 197 dogs and 31 cats from Dirty Sally's Pet Pals, Andrews' business, after allegedly finding them malnourished and neglected.
Hughes said Godfrey lived on the property and claimed 35 of the dogs as her own.
The maximum sentence for the crime is a year in the county jail. Hughes said his hands were tied when charging the women.
"I saw some people on (www.dothaneagle.com) saying they should be charged with a felony, but there has to be some actual abuse on an animal to be a felony, something like actual physical abuse," Hughes said. "We had no choice but to go with a misdemeanor, because it did not fit the criteria for a felony."
Hughes also responded to criticism about his department's response time to the situation, which it first discovered weeks ago.
"We've been worrying about logistics is why we've waited," Hughes said. "Those animals would've been no better off with us than with her, because we'd have been trying to round up $500 to $600 worth of feed and a place to house them. We could go in one morning, take all the dogs and then figure out what to do. We needed help."
Hughes also said Andrews meant well but got in over her head. He advised others to carefully plan before attempting to follow in Andrews' footsteps.
"I understand people wanting to be compassionate and take in animals, but they need to make sure they've got the resources to take care of them or have an outlet to get rid of the animals," he said. "Contact the local Humane Society or at the state or national level to see if they can get you some help before you're in a situation where you're charged with a crime." | Source: dothaneagle.com - Mar 2, 2011
Update posted on Mar 2, 2011 - 7:23PM |
References« AL State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Houston County, AL
|
