Puppy mill - 70 poodles
Vacaville, CA (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Dec 31, 1998
County: Solano

Disposition: Dismissed

Person of Interest: Nancy Jean O'Neill

Following completion of her probation, a Vacaville woman successfully petitioned to have criminal charges against her dismissed in connection with a five-year-old poodle abuse case.

In 1999, Nancy Jean O'Neill pleaded guilty to one count of felony animal cruelty in Solano County Superior Court after 70 ill, unkempt and malnourished poodles were found inside her Vacaville home. Several of the dogs later died.

On Wednesday, O'Neill appeared before Superior Court Judge Mike Nail and asked that, under provisions of the state Penal Code and her probation agreement, she be allowed to change her previous plea to innocent and have the charge reduced to a misdemeanor prior to dismissal.

Deputy District Attorney Jack Allen had initially opposed the action, but relented after learning that the potential for future dismissal upon successful completion of probation had been part of the original terms of her 1999 sentence.

After reviewing the case, Nail granted O'Neill's request, and the animal cruelty charge - first reduced to a misdemeanor - was dismissed

References

• The Reporter - Dec 16, 2004

« CA State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Solano County, CA

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