Apr 2012: Animal hoarder sentenced after accepting plea deal
A judge sentenced a woman facing more than 200 counts of animal cruelty in Henry County on Monday.
Terri Smith took a plea deal and pleaded guilty to one count. Judge Diana Wheeler sentenced Smith to all recommended terms but one. Smith cannot have any of the animals back. She had requested two horses and two dogs.
Smith was emotional in court and cried at one point. Her brother testified that Smith was a vet tech. Friends said she had animals for as long as they could remember.
"She loves her animals," said Tanya Mason who has been Smith's friend for nine years. "She takes good care. She just got overwhelmed with too many."
The Judy family is fostering two of the more than 200 animals seized from Smith's property. "I love her just like I do one of my kids," said foster Steve Judy of his dog Moto. His sons chose the name because they race motocross.
"It took bath after bath after bath to get the odor out of her hair," said Judy. "She has been laying in urine."
Judy's wife Jodie testified at the sentencing that it would devastate her family to lose the dog. Smith wanted to get back two horses and two dogs. Her attorney said they remind Smith of her mother. One of those dogs was Moto.
"We knew going into this that was a possibility, but who would have thought that it would have come to this?" said Jodie Judy. "And of 200 animals, (it was) Moto, our baby."
After the hearing, Smith spoke to the Judys and said her mother gave her Moto. Jodie agreed to let Smith see Moto in the future..." More
Apr 2012: Family fights to prevent foster dog from being returned to hoarder
A Kentucky woman charged with more than 200 counts of animal cruelty says she wants her dog back, and the family currently fostering it says that would be an absolute travesty.
n December, Terri Smith was charged with animal cruelty for housing animals in deplorable conditions. Her pets were seized and distributed among area shelters and foster homes. Smith eventually plead guilty to one of the charges and is due to appear in court again next week for sentencing. She’s also planning to ask the court to return some of her animals to her, and Jodie and Steve Judy say they will do everything in their power to fight that request.
Their determination comes as no surprise. The Judy family took in one of the dogs confiscated from Smith, and after spending months caring for and bonding with ‘Moto’, they are convinced the dog would be devastated if forced to return to life in a cage.
“She can not go back to that lifestyle,” Steve Judy said, tears streaming down his cheeks.
On Friday, Steve says the Henry County Animal Shelter called to tell him that Smith wanted Moto back. When he called his wife to break the news she was flabbergasted.
“He said, she picked Moto. She wants my dog, and I stopped in the middle of the store and started bawling,” says Jodie Judy.
Given the conditions she was rescued from, the Judys say that sending Moto back is not an option. The family plans to attend Smith’s hearing, and if she asks for the dog to be returned to her, they fully intend to stand their ground and speak to the judge.
“She is family. She’s more than just a pet. She is,” says Steve Judy..." More
Dec 14, 2012 - Suspect Comes Forward In Animal Hoarding Case
By Ann Bowdan
HENRY COUNTY, Ky. -- Henry County Animal Control officials said one of the suspects in the neglect of more than 200 animals has come forward as the rescued animals begin a new life.
Animal control officials said three people lived on the property at 28 Allyson Lane in Campbellsburg: a woman and a married couple.
While the husband and wife are still at large, the other woman came forward.
Officials identified the suspect who came forward as Karen Nellums, who will be charged with a still-to-be-determined number of animal cruelty charges.
The couple was identified as Ken and Terri Smith.
The Smiths are wanted on 218 counts of animal cruelty...." More & video
No comments:
Post a Comment