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Case #2625 Rating: 2.3 out of 5
Abandoning 7 cats, 1 dog leading to their death
Bellevue, WA (US)Incident Date: Friday, Jul 30, 2004
County: King
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 1 files available
Defendant/Suspect: Joyce Elaine Hunstad
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Police arrested Joyce Hunstad for investigation of animal cruelty after her pets were found abandoned and dead in her condo.
The animals were discovered after neighbors noticed a horrible stench and couldn't hear them anymore.
"Just a terrible smell, I knew something was wrong there," said Andreas Kischel as he described the foul odor coming from the woman's nearby condo.
Kischel's fears were confirmed when Bellevue Police officers in protective suits emerged with bags of dead animals. A total of seven cats and a small dog were found dead in a condo amid feces, fleas, and garbage. The animals apparently died from heat and lack of food and water.
Hunstad hasn't been seen here for several weeks and authorities have no explanation for the cruelty.
"She needs to pay for this," said Kischel with disgust. "This is bad. Dead animals. I don't even care that much about my own well being but I feel sorry for those animals how they died."
Kischel says he used to see one of the cats in the window and he could hear the animals meowing and barking. But when the temperatures grew so hot he decided to call police.
Officers checked the home Thursday but they didn't go inside until Friday.
"I'm disgusted in the police and animal control for not getting involved where they should have been involved," said animal welfare activist Christine Jones. Her voice shook as she tried to put her feelings into words. "This is what they're paid for. It didn't have to happen."
"The information we received from the caller was there normally was a cat sitting in the window and the cat's not longer there. Well, that's not enough evidence for the police department to kick in somebody's front door" explained Bellevue police officer Michael Chiu.
Animal control says they too just got word of the animals's plight in the last 48 hours.
Sgt. Kris Meyers of King County Animal Control says, "I'm sure this has been going on for some time, but the information just came to us and we acted on it right away."
Even though the larger pets perished, police say an animal rights group managed to get in and save a caged bird.
Charges will likely be filed against Hunstad next week.
The animal protection organization Pasado Safe Haven is considering filing a lawsuit against the Bellevue Police Department and King County Animal Control for their alleged lack of action in stopping this crime from happening. Pasado Safe Haven states that the police first responded to a call to Hunstad's residence back in July of 2003, so they were aware of the problem and failed to take action.
Summarized from Pasado Safe Haven website:
According to neighbors and property managers, the Bellevue Police Department AND King County Animal Control have been called to the scene numerous times since July of 2003. They had numerous opportunities to rescue these animals when they were still alive.
Mark Steinway, Pasado's Safe Haven's humane investigator was arrested for trespassing over the weekend at Hunstad's condo. He was responding to calls from a neighbor who thought he'd heard more animals in Hunstad's condo, after police removed the bodies of the dead animals on Friday. When police arrived, Mark told the officers why he was there. The police vehemently denied the possibility that any more animals or bodies would be found and would not allow Mark to finish his search. He was arrested for trespassing and told not to return to the property.
Two days later, on Monday, an exterminator was working in Joyce Hunstad's condo to eliminate the horrific flea infestation. The exterminator uncovered yet ANOTHER body of a cat, reportedly hidden beneath a mattress. The exterminator's statements will be used as part of a lawsuit Pasado's Safe Haven is considering pursuing for negligence against the Bellevue Police Department and King County Animal Control. The police told us they can't use this cat to add to the charges against Hunstad, because it wasn't found under the search warrant timeline.
Bellevue Police admit that they were aware of a dead cat discovered back in January in Joyce Hunstad's car (which was towed after being deemed abandoned) and they apparently did not question her at that time, even though they had been notified of the stench emanating from Joyce's apartment. Their reason, according to building managers at the condo, is that they couldn't be sure the cat was Joyce's and they had been assured from a caretaker that the cats in Joyce's condo were being fed regularly.
Bellevue Police Department may end up charging Joyce Hunstad on charges of 2nd Degree Animal Cruelty, instead of 1st Degree Animal Cruelty, because they claim her acts constitute neglect, not abuse.
The King County Prosecutor's Office is telling the public that this case is not a felony case, although they have NOT been presented with the evidence by Bellevue PD yet. Bellevue Police have told Pasado's Safe Haven that they believe it may be charged as a felony.
Case UpdatesJoyce Hunstad, a 57-year-old Bellevue woman was sentenced to 30 days of house arrest for starving several cats to death last summer in her flea-infested condominium.
Joyce Hunstad must also serve 100 hours of community service and pay abut $2,000 in fines and court costs, said Bellevue District Court Judge Fred Yeatts. | Source: Seattle Times - May 4, 2005
Update posted on May 4, 2005 - 5:48AM |
Arrested and charged with animal neglect, Joyce Hunstad, 57, has pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor counts and is scheduled to be sentenced in Bellevue District Court.
Hunstad is fortunate. Because under new state legislation inspired by this case, animal neglect has been elevated to a felony offense -- to be tried in higher courts and punishable by stiffer fines and jail time. One of the toughest such measures in the nation, it was passed unanimously by legislators at the urging of animal-protection advocates.
It also would make the crime of animal fighting a felony instead of a gross misdemeanor.
Gov. Christine Gregoire is expected to sign the bill, which would take effect 90 days later. | Source: seattlepi.com - April 28, 2005
Update posted on Apr 28, 2005 - 4:58AM |
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