Marci Biesheuvel, Litl' Bit of Love Animal Rescue and Sanctuary - Capenter, Wyoming

Mar 7, 2010: Animal rescuer operator faces cruelty charges

The operator of an animal rescue shelter near Carpenter faces two counts of animal cruelty after authorities seized more than 100 dogs, cats and rabbits.

Fifty-year-old Marci Biesheuvel is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Laramie County Circuit Court on the two misdemeanor counts.

Cheyenne Animal Control officers seized the animals last week from the nonprofit Litl' Bit of Love Animal Rescue and Sanctuary.

Authorities originally went to the property on Feb. 24 with a search warrant after receiving a complaint about unclean and filthy conditions.

Cheyenne Animal Shelter Director Rick Collord says the seized animals have been surrendered to his organization..." More

Feb 25, 2010: 93 dogs seized from rescue

By Jodi Rogstad

A rural animal rescue facility northwest of here had 93 dogs, 17 cats and several pet rabbits confiscated Wednesday afternoon because officials say they were in crowded and unsanitary conditions.

Sheriff's deputies arrested Marci Biesheuvel, 50, after she allegedly refused to allow them into her residence at 4765 County Road 206 on a search warrant.

The warrant was issued in response to a complaint from a prospective customer who visited the non-profit that Biesheuvel operates there, Litl' Bit of Love Animal Rescue and Sanctuary.

Rob Shank, shelter manager at the Cheyenne Animal Shelter, said there were 45 dogs living inside the manufactured home, and more were living in outdoor kennels.

Officers at the site said the house floor, where Biesheuvel lived, was littered with feces. A foul odor from the house could be detected about 20 feet away.

The dogs, cats and rabbits will be examined at the shelter and kept there in protective custody at least until the case is resolved. Aside from the misdemeanor obstruction charge, other charges have not been proposed yet in connection to the animal case..." More

Brenda Neely, Neely's Pet Place - Bonham, Texas

Mar 4, 2010: Seized animals to remain with SPCA

By: Daniel Armbruster

Sixty four animals were seized from Brenda Neely's 501 Rescue Shelter on her private property last month. Authorities say they discovered them to be malnourished and sick. There were also skeletal remains of others. The animals, in SPCA custody, range from dogs to horses, small mammals, reptiles and a bird.

Thursday morning, Neely was at the Fannin County Court House for a hearing to determine if the SPCA would keep the animals. Many packed the courtroom to make sure Neely didn't get custody.

"She said that she wanted the dog. I thought that that would be the best place for the dog. I was under the assumption that she would have a good home out in the country," said Lisa Palevo, a former client.

Lisa Palevo said she thought she was giving her dog a good home when she turned it over to Neely, but months later when she asked about what happened to the dog, Palevo said she couldn't get a straight answer.

"I would just like to know how my dog is. If she's alive or if she's dead. If she is alive, I would like her back so I can find her a good home," said Palevo.

Not everyone is against Neely though. Camille Snider said she met Neely in January 2010. Snider said she witnessed Neely save an animal that she personally took to her.

"She not only cured Scout, that was the dog’s name, but she has him living on a 70 anchor ranch," said Snider.

Snider said she feels there's more behind Neely's case that many don't know about.

"It's pretty one sided at one point and I hope all of this comes out. I hope the truth comes out, because I know she has a good heart," said Snider.

Snider and Neely's defense attorney, Bob Jarvis, argue many of the animals in Neely's care may have already been sick when they arrived.

(Jarvis)"When they come to a shelter. They're generally not in good health in the first place," said Bob Jarvis. "(Armbruster) Are you saying that more than 60 animals were dropped off sick?" (Jarvis) Well I can't get into the specifics but most people don't drop off healthy animals to the shelter. There's usually something wrong with the animals, said Jarvis."

The S-P-C-A said Neely neglected the animals and they're satisfied that today, before the hearing began, an agreement was reached between prosecutors and Neely. The animals will stay where they are and are officially the property of the SPCA..." More & video

Feb 24, 2010: 20 dead animals found, others seized from shelter

When the SPCA rescue team arrived at Neely's Pet Place, they expected to find some thin and possibly sick animals. What they discovered was far worse.

"The heartbreaking discovery today was actually twenty deceased animals. One dead horse, that is actually just a skeleton had a halter still around it," Maura Davies with the SPCA, said.

Many of the animals appeared to be suffering from skin diseases and mange. Some were emaciated, and many tied up without access to fresh water or food.

Just a year and a half ago, KXII visited Brenda Neely's Pet Place, when she took in 75 abandoned puppies found on the side of a road near Courtney, Oklahoma.

In August 2008, Brenda Neely, said, "Look at their faces, how can you tell them no. How can you not care? I mean these guys didn't deserve what they got put through. And we just want to make sure that never happens again."

But according to Neely's neighbor, Dee Barber, the conditions on Neely's property were far from ideal for those rescued puppies, and for the rest of the animals she kept there.

"One day I came by here and there was one laying here by their dumpster, dead. The others had sores all over them. Malnutrition. It was just an awful site to see everyday," Barber, said.

Maura Davies says the SPCA is involved in about 25 seizures a year. But, in all her time with the organization, she's never seen anything quite like this..." More & video

42 counts of animal cruelty at Nevada farm

In one of the worst cases they can remember, state officials in Nevada have cited a Battle Mountain woman for 42 counts of animal cruelty for neglecting more than 100 barnyard animals, including 35 starving horses.

Two horses, three llamas, three goats and two sheep died on the rural property about 220 miles northeast of Reno.

Jan Lemley faces a $1,000 fine for each count in the citation. She told the Battle Mountain Bugle Wednesday she had no comment.

Nevada Agriculture Department spokesman Ed Foster says a state veterinarian became sick upon arrival at the scene last weekend. He says "it's the worst case of animal cruelty they've ever witnessed."

At least one goat died from ingesting wool from a sheep carcass because it had nothing else to eat..." Link

More Than 100 Neglected Animals Found at Nev. Farm

"...Jan Lemley of Battle Mountain faces 42 counts of animal cruelty. Each count carries a civil fine of $1,000, said Nevada Department of Agriculture spokesman Ed Foster...."

Robert, Anita & Chad Moore: Tate Township farm, Clermont, Cincinnati

Jan 1, 2009: Legal woes face horse trainer

Chad M. Moore, the horse trainer expected to be charged with cruelty to animals after at least 10 of them were found dead on a Tate Township farm, could face up to 90 days in jail for every corpse that figures into the final count.

His legal troubles won’t end there.

Moore, 39, who was arrested Thursday, faces up to a year in prison for violating probation in a Clermont County case involving nonsupport of children. Jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail in that case, he is to appear Monday in Common Pleas Court.

Moore, who pleaded guilty to nonsupport in 2003, violated probation in numerous ways, according to an affidavit by Nick Gescheider, a probation officer.

One of the things Moore was barred from doing was drinking, but on July 14 he pleaded guilty in Municipal Court to driving under the influence of alcohol.

On July 19, he was charged with theft. And, on May 20, he pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to license dogs.
He also didn’t inform his probation officer of the charges, and he failed to report to the officer after Aug. 12.

Moore also allegedly violated probation by failing to pay at least $229.85 a month to support his children.

In July, the first of at least three arrest warrants related to separate cases was issued for Moore. He may have abandoned the horses because he wanted to avoid arrest, Sheriff A.J. “Tim” Rodenberg said..." More

Dec 29, 2009: Dead, neglected horses removed from Clermont farm

BY BARRETT J. BRUNSMAN

Clermont County Animal Control had been in contact with a trainer of race horses since nearly the beginning of this year regarding reports that animals in his care had been cruelly treated, gone missing or died.

At least 10 dead horses were found at a Tate Township farm Monday, and six other horses, a donkey and a pony that reportedly had been neglected were seized by Animal Control and sheriff's deputies.

The Clermont County Animal Shelter is working with the Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office on possible charges of animal cruelty and abandonment against the animals’ caretaker, according to a statement from Clermont County officials. A first offense for animal cruelty or abandonment is a second-degree misdemeanor that carries up to 90 days in jail and a $750 fine per count, the statement said.

The surviving animals were taken from the 30-acre farm at 2200 Donald Road, Sheriff A.J. "Tim" Rodenberg said. Nobody was home at the time.

Robert and Anita Moore own the farm, and their son Chad Moore trains race horses, according to Chief Animal Control Officer Debra Wood..." More