A jury recently convicted a woman in an animal cruelty case dating to 2007 that involved almost 100 dogs, including 40 Great Danes.
Antonia Angela "Angel" White, 51, was convicted of multiple misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty related to a seizure of her animals on a simmering July day.
Many of the animals did not have proper shelter or water on a July 26 day that temperatures soared into the triple-digit mark.
"Any reasonable person who saw the conditions that day would have been horrified," Animal Services Captain Tammie Belmonte said. "Even the veteran sheriff’s deputies who assisted us that day were disgusted. We are very pleased the jury found our case credible. This is a good day for animal advocates everywhere."
White claimed to be a rescue operator but did not have a proper kennel permit, a violation of a county ordinance.
She consistently failed to provide necessary upgrades to safely house the dogs and failed repeatedly to reduce the number of dogs housed at her property.
Some of the dogs were kept in a barn-like structure that did not have proper ventilation, Captain Belmonte said.
On July 26 Officer Wapner and a team of officers seized 92 dogs – including the 40 Great Danes – and placed them in protective custody.
In October 2007, the Department of Animal Services eventually agreed to allow White to place the 40 Great Danes in a private kennel paid for by her. The agreement also allowed the Department of Animal Services to send most of the remaining dogs to Moreno Valley-based Tender Loving Care of the Inland Empire to place them in adoptive or foster homes..." More
