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Case #2700 Rating: 3.7 out of 5
Exotic animal neglect - dead tigers found
Otter Tail County, MN (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Jan 31, 2004
County: Otter Tail
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Roy Cordy
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A Fargo doctor who owns an exotic animal farm is charged with animal cruelty and mistreatment in a Minnesota court. The case against Roy Cordy began in February, when authorities said they found dead tigers and other animals at his farm north of Pelican Rapids, Minnesota.
He's been charged in Otter Tail County District Court with mistreating animals, cruelty to animals, and depriving animals of food, water or shelter.
The charges stem from two tigers and a rabbit that were found on the "YOR Exotics" animal farm. Authorities say one of the tigers died of malnutrition.
Sheriff's deputies say they also found several other dead animals at the farm.
In February, Cordy said he fed his animals daily. But he did not renew a U-S Department of Agriculture license to deal in exotic animals after it expired in November.
Case UpdatesThe Fargo doctor charged with six counts of neglecting animals at his Pelican Rapids farm reached a plea agreement Friday, admitting to depriving a rabbit of necessary food, water or shelter, a misdemeanor offense.
As part of the deal, five other counts against Roy Cordy, 43, were dropped, including charges that he abused two tigers and a deer.
His sentence of one year in jail was stayed as part of the agreement, which specifies that by Feb. 12, 2005, Cordy will no longer be allowed to possess exotic animals in Minnesota and must make all reasonable efforts to transfer ownership of animals currently in his possession. Cordy was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and provide five hours of community service at an animal shelter in Minnesota.
Local law officials searched Cordy's farm in February where they said they found animals who were being mistreated and neglected.
There was no food or water visible for one of the tigers, and according to the court complaint, Cordy told officers that one of the live tigers had eaten one of the smaller tigers.
Four tiger carcasses were sent to the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Ore., where it was determined that one of them died from emaciation due to malnutrition, according to the court complaint.
Otter Tail County Assistant Attorney Cherie Clark said she agreed to letting Cordy plead only to mistreating the rabbit because the sentence under Minnesota law is the same for all the charges.
"If I would have taken this to a jury trial and he would have been found guilty on all counts, the sentence he would have received would still be the same as the one he's received now," she said.
According to the court charge, the rabbit's food trough was filled with dog food instead of rabbit food and its water dish was frozen.
Cordy's attorney, David Phillipe, said there was no significance to his client agreeing to abusing the rabbit.
"That was the one picked out of the lot," he said.
Neither Clark nor Phillipe knew the current status of the other animals that were at Cordy's farm. | Source: Fergus Falls Journal - Nov 16, 2004
Update posted on Nov 19, 2004 - 1:01AM |
References
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