A Binghamton-area man who authorities say ran a pet boarding and grooming business now faces 86 felony animal cruelty counts. Twenty-six-year-old John Elmer was arrested after police armed with a no-knock warrant raided his mobile home and a nearby shed.
Elmer initially was charged with 35 cruelty counts. Now, 51 more counts have been filed against him and officials say more charges are possible.
An animal cruelty investigator says Elmer has described himself to others as an "animal rescuer." Some people apparently turned their pets over to Elmer when they no longer wanted them.
The case has overwhelmed a Binghamton animal shelter. The facility now is caring for about 50 of the animals seized from Elmer's residence. The shelter is closed to the public as workers try to care for the new arrivals.
Police say they found the carcasses of several dogs and cats in Elmer's refrigerator. Elmer reportedly first told investigators he was running a rescue called "Pets Without Parents" and was just like the SPCA, then changed his story, saying he was euthanizing them for people when they were sick. Case UpdatesAfter four months in custody, Casey was reunited with her family Friday.
By order of the Broome County District Attorney's Office, the dog, who was being held as evidence in the case against a Windsor man, was released from the Broome County Humane Society, on Jackson Avenue in Binghamton, and returned to the Mastenbrook family in Painted Post.
"She's a little skittish," said Wendy Mastenbrook. "She was really excited at first, but she's a little confused. She's been locked up for months."
In August, the family had left their pet, a 5-year-old mixed breed dog, with John Elmer, 26, of Windsor. Elmer ran an animal shelter out of his home. Mastenbrook said the family had temporarily moved into an apartment that didn't accept pets. She said she planned to leave Casey for a month with Elmer, who was a friend of the family.
A few weeks after dropping off Casey, Elmer was charged with 35 felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals. Police searched his home in August and found several dead animals decaying outside or stuffed in a freezer. Elmer has said the charges were fabricated and exaggerated. His case is still pending in Broome County Court.
Humane Society officials said they seized 30 dogs during the raid. Casey was among them.
Earlier this month, Wendy Mastenbrook said that despite having paperwork proving ownership of Casey, the shelter could not release the dog because Casey was considered evidence. Mastenbrook also said the shelter prohibited her and her family from seeing Casey.
Mastenbrook said Friday that a letter sent from the DA's Office via Elmer's attorney to the Humane Society ordered Casey's release. Mastenbrook's daughter, she said, picked up the dog Friday and brought it to the family's new house.
"You can see a little bit of difference in her," Mastenbrook said. "It's going to take a few days. But she looks good." | Source: Press & Sun Bulletin - Nov 12, 2005
Update posted on Nov 14, 2005 - 9:47PM |
A family thought their dog would be safe with a Windsor man who ran a temporary kennel out of his home.
Casey, a dog owned by Wendy Mastenbrook, is being held as evidence at the Broome County Humane Society in connection with an animal cruelty case against John Elmer, who was arrested in August.
But less than a month after Wendy Mastenbrook dropped Casey off to live with John Elmer, the 26-year-old man ended up in court facing 35 felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and the dog ended up at an animal shelter.
Three months later, Mastenbrook, of Painted Post, is still waiting for the return of Casey, who is being held at the Broome County Humane Society on Jackson Avenue. Assistant District Attorney Cheryl Mancini, who is prosecuting the case against Elmer, said her office is working to return the dog, but the family pet is still considered evidence.
Mancini said the district attorney's office will work with the Humane Society to get the animals seized from Elmer's home returned to their owners. She couldn't comment on specifics of the case against Elmer, as it was ongoing, she said.
Elmer had used his home as a temporary kennel for stray animals. Mancini said she believed most were strays.
Melissa Shear, 32, of Vestal said she had left her 2-year-old Doberman Pincer Zeus in Elmer's care. She and Elmer have been friends for the past nine years. The dog, she said, was seized when officers raided Elmer's home and is still at the shelter.
Both Mastenbrook and Shear said they were surprised to hear about the case against Elmer.
"That man was always taking care of animals," Mastenbrook said. "We thought that it was just fine. From what I'd seen of John (Elmer), he was good with animals."
Mastenbrook said she got Casey from an SPCA shelter in Pennsylvania in 2000. In August, Mastenbrook had moved to an apartment that would not accept pets. She said she planned to keep Casey with Elmer for a month until she could find an apartment that allowed dogs.
Elmer, who ran an operation called Pets Without Parents, had been charged with 35 felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals in August when the Broome County Humane Society found 35 dead animals in his home. Officials took 50 live animals to the Jackson Street shelter, including 30 dogs, seven chinchillas, four cats, four fish, three birds and a ferret.
Casey and Zeus were among them.
Mastenbrook said the shelter stopped her and her family from visiting Casey. Shear also was unable to visit Zeus.
"They won't let me see him," Shear said. "To have him locked up and not let me see him, that really bothers me."
Officials at the Humane Society said they could not comment, as Elmer's case was still pending in court.
Mastenbrook said she had her veterinarian fax the dog's information to the shelter in an effort to prove ownership. The shelter, Mastenbrook said, couldn't release Casey and is requiring that she fill out adoption papers to reclaim the dog. The process, she said, could cost about $100. Even then, Mastenbrook said, there was no guarantee she would get the dog back. | Source: Press and Sun Bulletin - Nov 3, 2005
Update posted on Nov 3, 2005 - 5:23PM |
Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
Back to Top References« Back to Search Results
« NY State Animal Cruelty Map
|
