Nearly a dozen animals were seized from a Pleasant Street house January 11, 2006, but it was too late for one English Bulldog, authorities said. The male dog, identified as Bubba by a visitor to the house, was found dead in a locked cage inside the home. "It's just a horrible waste," Animal Services Administrator Amy Wade-Carotenuto said. "She could have called somewhere for help; she knew the dog was sick."
When the resident of the house, Emmy Joe Norris, contacted Edgewater Animal Services employees, she said she had the flu and had been staying with a friend in Oak Hill, Wade-Carotenuto said. The last time she had been at the house was January 10, 2006, Norris told Wade-Carotenuto.
After having admitted she knew the dog was sick, Norris was arrested January 11, 2006 and charged with one felony count of animal cruelty because she did not seek treatment for the animal, Animal Services Officer Marty Miles said. She is also charged with 11 counts of misdemeanor neglect for six malnourished cats and five dogs removed from her feces-ridden house after an anonymous tip from a neighborhood resident, Miles said.
"She just had no appropriate explanation," added Wade-Carotenuto, who retrieved the animals with the help of Miles and two Edgewater police officers. Considering the amount of feces found in the house, it seemed no one had been there for at least three days, Wade-Carotenuto said. Bubba probably died January 10, 2006, she said.
A Jack Russell terrier was found in a wire-bottom cage placed on top of another wire cage containing two poodles. There was no protection from feces and urine dropping into the cage below, the officers said. One poodle was found dehydrated and lethargic. Miles said she could feel the dog's skeleton. Litter boxes for six cats were found overrun and no food or water was provided for any of the animals. The animals were taken to the animal control office and to a temporary animal shelter on West Park Avenue. Case UpdatesA tearful Edgewater woman accused of neglecting nearly a dozen animals which resulted in the death of one dog still considers herself an animal lover.
Emmy Joe Norris, 27, faced County Judge Mary Jane Henderson at the New Smyrna Beach annex courtroom Thursday to give up her custody rights to six cats and five dogs, admitting she was financially unfit to care for them.
"I believe that it did get too overwhelming for me to take care of them by myself," the former seven-year dog groomer told the judge.
By the time Animal Services received an anonymous tip about the pets at Norris' Pleasant Street home, one dog was found dead in a locked cage. The other malnourished animals were taken to a local shelter and put in foster homes.
Norris said she knew Bubba, the English Bulldog that died, had been sick. She admits she "screwed up" and said this case is embarrassing for her because she loves animals.
After having cared for the animals for more than a month, the city of Edgewater petitioned Henderson to terminate Norris' custody of the animals and requested Norris pay for the costs incurred for taking care of the dogs and cats.
Norris agreed to the request and will be notified of the costs within 60 days.
Giving up custody of the animals will soon allow Animal Services to adopt the animals out.
"Now we can start getting them into good homes," said administrator Amy Wade-Carotenuto.
In addition to losing the animals, Norris has been charged with 12 first-degree misdemeanor counts of unlawful abandonment or confinement of an animal. If found guilty, Norris could face up to a year in jail and or a $1,000 fine for each count, said Linda Pruitt, a spokeswoman with the State Attorney's Office.
Norris will appear before a judge to enter a plea on April 12.
Besides the misdemeanor charges, when Norris was arrested Jan. 11, she was charged with one felony count of animal cruelty for the abandonment and death of a dog. But the State Attorney's Office is still gathering information regarding that allegation, Pruitt said.
"After we receive that information we will make a determination as to charges," Pruitt said.
Several personal problems led to the neglect of the pets -- some of which she owned for more than seven years -- Norris said. She said she had recently attended funerals for the death of two friends, was dealing with depression and her truck had been stolen.
In the days leading up to Animal Services' rescue of the animals, she said she had the flu and was staying with a friend.
"I had so much happen to me," she said. "It was just one thing after the other."
A month before she was arrested and charged, she was planning to find homes for the animals because it got to be too much for one person to handle.
Her mother, Arlene Price, vouches for her daughter.
"She likes animals better than she does people," Price said. | Source: Daytona News-Journal - Feb 24, 2006
Update posted on Feb 25, 2006 - 7:39PM |
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