Pit bull neglect, dog-fighting suspected
Westerville, OH (US)Incident Date: Friday, May 26, 2006
County: Franklin
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Dismissed
Person of Interest: Bertha St-Clair
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
Police and animal control agents raided a local home Friday afternoon for suspected dog fighting, and they found something unexpected. Officials executed the raid at a home on Scissortail Loop and found not just emaciated pit bulls, but also some drugs, NBC 4's Erin Tate reported.
Bertha Saint-Clair was arrested for failing to appear at a recent animal control-related court appearance. She claimed partial ownership of the dogs, police said. The raid began after officials received a complaint in April from neighbors who said they witnessed a male pit bull and a female pit bull fighting viciously in the home's yard. A dog warden who responded to the scene said she found the dogs chained in the basement in filthy conditions, both injured and still bleeding. The dogs were allegedly both underweight and suffering from wound infections, investigators said.
At first, the owner allegedly tried to deny the dog fighting. "The person who answered the door had blood splattered all over her pants and one of her socks was practically soaked in blood. They asked her if she was having a problem with her dogs. They were surprised when she said no and kind of acted like she didn't know why they were there," said Joyce Rice, of the Capital Area Humane Society.
The owner will be charged with failure to provide proper medical treatment. She turned over possession of animals to the Capital Area Humane Society, Tate reported. The dog warden will continue to investigate if the animals were used for other fighting purposes.
Case Updates| Charges were dismisses against Bertha St. Clair on May 27, 2006, after she was picked up on a warrant for failing to appear in court. St. Clair was facing "minor misdemeanor" charges of drug possession and failure to provide medical care for her dogs. After spending three days in jail, St. Clair was given credit for time served, and the charges were dismissed. Under Ohio law, "minor misdemeanors" are punishable by a fine no more than $150.00. | Source: Columbus Criminal Court
Update posted on Feb 7, 2007 - 9:49PM |
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