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Case #3808 Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Hoarding - 64 animals seized, 9 found dead
Salem, OR (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Jan 27, 2005
County: Marion
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Kerrie Casas
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Oregon Humane Society and Yamhill County Dog Control officials seized 64 animals on Jan 27 and found at least nine dead animals at a rural Hopewell property. Resident Kerrie Casas, 41, was cited for first- and second-degree animal neglect. She was not taken into custody.
Casas denied that she was guilty of animal neglect.
Officials searched the property for nearly seven hours and removed 14 dogs, six cats, eight chickens, 23 goats, two cows, five horses, five pigs and one guinea pig, said Kathy Covey, a spokesman for the Oregon Humane Society.
Five chickens, two goats and two calves were found dead on the 10-acre property at 12560 Kirkwood Road in Hopewell.
The investigation into possible animal neglect began in April, Covey said.
"She applied for a kennel for the amount of dogs she had," Covey said. "Neighbors contested the permit, citing lack of care for the dogs and dogs at large."
Contesting the permit allowed county officials to go on the property, which led to the animal-neglect investigation.
Casas, who lives at the home with her husband and two children, said that she thinks neighbors conspired against her and that their allegations are wrong.
"I'm being found guilty before I've had a trial," Casas said. "I'd sooner cut off my right arm than hurt my animals."
Covey said they wouldn't have removed the animals if there wasn't a concern.
Among the domestic animals were eight Chihuahuas.
"My dogs are my life," Casas said, showing pictures of Santa Claus holding two of her Chihuahuas. "Each and every one is spoiled."
Oregon Humane Society Lt. Randy Covey said that all of the animals will be examined by a veterinarian.
"When we are looking for evidence of neglect," he said, "we look at the health of the animal and the environment they are living in."
He told Casas that it was his opinion, based on previous investigations, that she was unlikely to get her animals back.
If Casas is found guilty of animal neglect, she won't be allowed to own livestock or domestic animals for as long as five years.
To contact the prosecutor to urge that he vigorously prosecute this case, and if convicted, recommend mandatory psychological counseling for Cases at her own expense:
The Honorable Brad Berry
Yamhill County District Attorney
535 E. Fifth St.
McMinnville, OR 97128
Case UpdatesKerrie Casas, 43, was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years probation today for engaging in animal neglect.
Casas cried when Judge Cal Tichenor ruled that she not own or care for any animals - even fish - for the duration of her probation. He also ordered her to undergo a mental health evaluation and pay $33,836 restitution and $626 in fines and fees.
Casas pleaded guilty to one count each of first- and second-degree animal neglect. In exchange, the state dropped six counts of first-degree animal neglect and 10 counts of second-degree animal neglect.
Tichenor told her she was lucky she wasn't getting six months in jail instead of just one. "For any supposedly caring human being to allow their animals to live in that kind of environment doesn't make any sense at all," he said.
Casas didn't appear to show any concern for the pain and suffering endured by her animals, he said. The evidence didn't point to neglect, as the charges would suggest, he said, but to intentional and deliberate acceptance of the suffering and death of animals on her farm.
Yamhill County sheriff's deputies rescued the animals January 27 - In all, they removed 23 goats, 14 dogs, eight chickens, six cats, five horses, five pigs, two cows and a guinea pig.
Deputy Jodi Whiting told the court what she saw when she arrived. She first encountered eight chihuahuas sharing three small carriers in the kitchen. Outside, she found other dogs sharing a pen littered with mud and feces.
The goats were covered with mud, and had burned skin from living in their own waste. None had food or water available.
The goats were surviving on remnants of grass surrounding rotting cow carcasses. Horses were living nearby in a mud-soaked pen near a pile of discarded goat carcasses.
The animals were heavily flea- and parasite-infested. They were malnourished and suffering from open sores. Some were losing their hair.
Defense attorney Christopher Bocci said Casas just got overwhelmed by the demands of her animals and her family.
He said she has worked as a fraud investigator for the state for 15 years, and took a night job as well last year in an effort to make ends meet. She thought the family was going to help her with animal care on the farm when she took a second job, he said, but that never happened.
Bocci lodged a protest after Tichenor pronounced sentence. He complained the restitution figure was exorbitant and asked that a hearing be scheduled so he could air arguments for a reduction. | Source: News-Register - June 23, 2005
Update posted on Jun 24, 2005 - 6:33PM |
Casas entered a plea of not guilty on Thursday, Feb 10, in Yamhill County Circuit Court to eight counts of animal neglect - three in the first degree and five in the second degree.
The roster includes 14 goats, eight chickens, two dogs, two horses, two kittens, two steers and a guinea pig. The farm animals will be sold and the companion animals adopted out when the case is resolved.
The status of the other 33 animals - 12 dogs, nine goats, four cats, five pigs and three horses - remains up in the air. However, there is no guarantee Casas will ever get any of them back.
At present, the sheriff's office has control of the whole lot. They are being kept at secure, undisclosed locations in the care of a veterinarian.
Sheriff's Lt. Ron Huber said members of the public had donated more than $2,500 to help cover expenses, in addition to providing food and supplies.
Outside the courtroom, someone asked county dog control officer Jodi Whiting how the guinea pig was doing. After all, the skeleton of its companion guinea pig had been found in its cage.
Casas is being represented by the Salem law firm of Christopher C. Bocci & Associates. Partner William E. Carl accompanied her to court Thursday, along with friends and members of her family.
In attendance on the other side was Lt. Randy Covey of the Oregon Humane Society, which assisted Yamhill County officers in taking custody of the animals. "This is what we expected," he said as the proceedings unfolded.
Deputy District Attorney Alicia Eagan sought and obtained an order from visiting judge Rudy Margo that Casas keep no animals on her property while the case is being adjudicated. He said he likes animals as much as anyone, and they have to be properly cared for.
Casas said she understood. But she said a cat and rooster remained on the property, where she lives with her husband Jesus and their two children, because no one could catch them.
"We've seen them, but when we go to grab the cat, it hides," she said. Prosecutor Alicia Eagan offered another view. She told the judge the cat had reportedly been seen in Casas' house.
Dr. Greg Fischer of the Newberg Veterinary Hospital provided an assessment for the court on the conditions in which the animals were being kept when the raid was staged. "The overall management of this facility is inadequate and potential harm to these animals is foreseen," he said.
He said the barnyard was very hazardous, with sheet metal, scrap metal and burn piles strewn about among bags of garbage. He said the pastures had been grazed down to dirt, hay was insufficient in both quality and quantity, decomposing carcasses posed a health hazard and clean water was not available.
Fischer said there were no records of routine vaccinations or worming for any of the livestock. He said the animals appeared to be malnourished heavily parasitized and had not had routine care like hoof trimming.
He summarized the conditions of some of the animals he examined this way:
* Female nubian goat: Severely underweight with lice present. Living in mud and feces with a little mud-saturated straw.
* Female nubian infant goat: Underweight and weak. No acceptable feed present.
* Five feeder pigs: Fair condition, but dry mud present in stall. No feed. Only small amount of water present, which was not fresh.
* Black steer: Emaciated. Living in a small fenced enclosure with no feed, amid four calf carcasses in various stages of decay.
* Jersey cross steer: Underweight by about 100 pounds. Rough coat.
* Palomino mare: About 50 pounds underweight with a rough coat abrasion on the neck.
* Three dogs: German shepherd, labrador cross and puppy enclosed in dirt run with excessive feces.
Holveck said the livestock had not received proper care. He said the animals displayed sores from continual exposure to wet, damp weather and signs of both internal and external parasites.
He said all of the animals were underweight and the goats had not had their hooves trimmed.
The vet said the dogs were suffering from malnutrition and parasite infestations as well.
Casas is next slated to appear for a trial report conference at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10. | Source: News-Register - Feb 12, 2005
Update posted on Feb 12, 2005 - 3:54PM |
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