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Case #2057 Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Animals Left to Starve in Home
Wolcott, NY (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Feb 21, 2004
County: Wayne
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 1 files available
Defendants/Suspects:
» Margaret Kent
» Kenneth Hurd
» Mary Long
» Susan Hurd
» Charles Kinch
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
Five people were arrested on felony charges after police officials discovered 12 dead puppies and several dead chickens among a number of surviving animals abandoned and starving in a Butler home.
New York State Police arrested Margaret Kent, 39, Kenneth Hurd, 49, Mary Long, 70, Susan Hurd, 23, and Charles Kinch, 47, on one count each of felony aggravated cruelty to animals.
Wayne County Animal Cruelty Investigator Melissa Oliver said this horrific case all started as a dog complaint reported to the Wolcott Troopers. State Police had contacted the Humane Society of Wayne County Friday night, Feb. 20, 2004 wondering if the shelter would pick up some dogs from a home located in Butler. The landlord told police he had come to check on the tenants at the address only to find the dogs locked inside the structure. One look at the dogs and the Troopers alerted Animal Cruelty Investigator Melissa Oliver of possible abuse.
Upon arriving at the residence that very night, Oliver said she saw three puppies and two dogs in poor condition. She determined they would survive the night and made plans to come back the next day.
On Saturday, Feb. 21, 2004, Troopers had located the home's tenants, who had moved to Red Creek. Upon speaking with the dogs' owners, it was agreed that the dogs and a goat would be surrendered to the Humane Society.
With assistance, Oliver returned to the Butler home. Upon further investigation of the property, the animal rescue crews found a coop full of several dead chickens behind the house. The owner had claimed the chickens had died before winter, however, most of the chickens were lying on fresh snow. Oliver said they also discovered the carcass of a dead deer in a fire pit where someone had apparently attempted to burn it.
In the garage, the goat was found tied down with a chain that was tangled around an overturned table leaving about two feet of chain and allowing no room for movement. The goat was extremely emaciated, unable to stand and with feet severely overgrown.
Inside the home, Oliver said a rancid odor of death hung in the air. Each room was inspected as a search was begun to find any and all animals who might be in the home. Upstairs, Oliver discovered a box containing nine dead puppies piled on top of each other among the remains of puppies that had apparently been partially eaten. Oliver says it is uncertain whether the mother dogs had eaten the puppies due to sickness or due to the puppies' deaths. In all, it has been determined the box contained 12 puppies.
The remaining rooms were empty but were strewn with garbage and feces.
It is estimated these animals were abandoned in the home in the beginning of February when the tenants moved out and left the animals to starve. Oliver said the dogs were so thirsty that when she opened the bathroom door, the dogs rushed in to drink from the filthy toilet which contained human excrement.
Three puppies, two adult female dogs, one pregnant cat and a goat was removed from the home. Following the arrests made on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004 two more cats and a poodle were seized from the Red Creek home. All five defendants were processed at the New York State Police Wolcott barracks and released with appearance tickets to return to the Butler Town Court on March 17, 2004.
The State Police were joined in the investigation with Child Protective Services to determine if children living in the home should be removed and an additional charge should be added. However, results of the investigation did not warrant a further charge of endangering the welfare of a child at this time.
The felony animal cruelty charge stems from the apparent indifference the suspects had for the animals when they left them knowing they would starve to death in the Butler home. It takes a minimum of two weeks for an average animal to starve to death and only if no source of food is available. Oliver says it is truly a long, suffering death.
Case UpdatesAll five pleaded guilty to misdemeanor animal cruelty in Wayne County Court Friday.
Kenneth Hurd, 49; his daughter, Susan Hurd, 23; his mother, Mary Long, 71; Charles Kinch, 45; and Margaret Kent, 39, were charged by state police on Feb. 25 with felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty after investigators discovered 10 dehydrated animals on the property: an emaciated goat, three cats and six dogs. The remains of 12 puppies and several chickens also were found at their former residence at 4821 Route 89 in Butler.
Investigators estimated that the puppies and chickens went at least three weeks without food before dying. Wayne County Animal Cruelty Investigator Melissa Oliver said at the time the discovery was one of the "most gruesome" she had ever seen.
The group was indicted by a Wayne County grand jury this spring on the animal cruelty charges.
Kenneth Hurd was sentenced to one year in prison, while Long, Kinch and Kent were sentenced to three years probation. Susan Hurd was given a one-year conditional discharge.
Wayne County District Attorney Richard Healy said Kenneth Hurd was more directly involved with the care of the animals in this case.
The Hurds, Long, Kinch and Kent also were served a court order prohibiting them from owning animals for 15 years, Healy said. | Source: Finger Lake Times - August 25, 2004
Update posted on Apr 8, 2005 - 7:55PM |
References« NY State Animal Cruelty Map
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