Jonean Crowle, Animal Rescue Team and Refuge - Gulfport, Mississippi

Mar 22, 2010: Animal shelter informant faces felony charge

By ROBIN FITZGERALD

Sheriff’s investigators have charged John Maas with felony malicious mischief in connection with damages at a no-kill shelter after it was shut down over an animal cruelty accusation.

The felony charge came as deputies investigated a misdemeanor complaint that Maas confronted the shelter director and her son Saturday night and allegedly broke the son’s nose.

Deputies arrested Maas on a simple assault charge at the former location of the South Mississippi Animal Rescue Team and Refuge on Wolf River Road. They added the felony after damages were found.

Maas is accused of drilling holes in the tires and radiator of a moving van and in 100-gallon tanks that were used to water the animals, said sheriff’s investigator Kevin Hicks.

Maas, 47, of Ocean Springs, was a volunteer who called authorities about conditions at the shelter, which had no covered building or running water. The sheriff’s animal-control staff raided the shelter on March 16 and arrested its director, Jonean Crowle..." More

Mar 21, 2010: Whistleblower charged with simple assault

The volunteer who called attention to the plight of several hundred animals at the South Mississippi Animal Rescue Team and Refuge has been charged with simple assault..." More

Mar 18, 2010: Refuge operator faces 10 animal cruelty charges

The director of the South Mississippi Animal Rescue Team and Refuge faces 10 counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals after a raid at her no-kill shelter by Harrison County Animal Control.

Harrison County prosecutor Herman Cox said Wednesday an arraignment will be in about a month. Cox tells The Sun Herlad that each count can carry jail time of up to 60 days and a $500 fine. He said Jonean Crowle of Pass Christian could have faced a charge for each of the animals authorities found Tuesday on the property 205 dogs, 75 cats, five goats, a pony and a chicken..." More

Mar 17, 2010: Humane Society prepares for mass transfer of shelter animals

By DONNA MELTON

Volunteers on spring break from a New York college spent today watering and feeding animals as authorities with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, Harrison County Animal Control and the Humane Society of South Mississippi made preparations for a mass transfer of the pets from a dirt pit off Wolf Ridge Road.

Jonean Crowle, director of the South Mississippi Animal Rescue Team and Refuge, faces 10 counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals, said Harrison County prosecutor Herman Cox. An arraignment date will set for next month. Each count can carry jail time of up to 60 days and a $500 fine, he said. Crowle could have faced a charge for each of the animals authorities found on the property, which consisted of 205 dogs, 75, cats, five goats, a pony and a chicken, he said.

Jode’ Braxton-Hignight, development and PR director for HSSM, said the cats will be moved later today to the Harrison County Farm, which is operated by the sheriff’s department. She was not sure when the other animals would be moved..." More

Mar 17, 2010: Animal Shelter Head Arrested

The director of a South Mississippi no-kill shelter could face misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty for each of the more than 300 animals she vowed to protect.

Harrison County deputies arrested 58-year-old Jonean Crowle of Pass Christian at the South Mississippi Animal Rescue Team and Refuge. Sheriff Melvin Brisolara tells The Sun Herald that Crowle was charged with several counts, and more are expected.

Brisolara said authorities found about 225 dogs, 80 cats, some goats and a pony on the property, which is on less than an acre of land Crowle has been using while searching for a larger location..." More

Mar 16, 2010: No-kill shelter founder taken into custody

By DONNA MELTON

A woman with the South Mississippi Animal Rescue Team and Refuge has been taken into custody by the Harrison County Sheriff's Department following an investigation into animal cruelty complaints at the refuge.

Jonean Crowle, the refuge founder, was put into a patrol car in handcuffs about 1:45 p.m. Animal Control official Brad Necaise said he couldn't comment on the charges but that a press release would be issued.

More than 300 cats and dogs are housed at the no-kill shelter in the county, where sheriff's deputies converged this morning following complaints of animal cruelty.

Representatives of the Humane Society of South Mississippi were called in by animal control after the complaint came in to the Sheriff's Department..." Link

Photo: AMANDA McCOY

Kathy and Tom Phillips, Clarksdale-Coahoma County Animal Shelter - Mississippi

Jan 27, 2009: Police: No charges against ex-animal shelter director

NICKLAUS LOVELADY

Clarksdale police will not charge a former animal shelter director accused of hoarding hundreds of dog and cats.

The Clarksdale-Coahoma County Animal Shelter remained closed Tuesday as officials strategized on where to place the animals and how to reopen the shelter.

Clarksdale City Attorney Curtis Boshert said the city owns the building and contracted with Cathy Phelps over the past 12 years to operate the no-kill shelter. He said the city's budget for the shelter was about $20,000 annually.

Although the shelter was supposed to be for the city and county, Boshert said the shelter did not turn away any animals.

"We know some were being brought in from outside the county. They didn't put any down, and that's how we got this overloaded," Boshert said.

Phelps was not available for comment Tuesday.

A complaint reported to In Defense of Animals led to the discovery of 340 dogs and 40 cats at the shelter. The shelter was designed to hold about 60 animals, said Doll Stanley, regional director of investigations for the animal rights group.

Stanley said the animals were living in deplorable conditions. Many were maimed and exposed to diseases. Some lived in those conditions for years, she said.

"You don't store animals. They're living beings," Stanley said.

Stanley presented her findings to city officials, and they confronted Phelps. On Friday, Phelps resigned, Stanley said.

City officials hired a new shelter director Monday. The city is working to frame new policies and procedures for the shelter. Included is whether the shelter will remain no-kill and establishing a maximum number of animals it will be allowed to take.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals already moved about 180 animals to animal shelters in Atlanta and Florida...." Link

Jan 25, 2010: ASPCA Takes Charge of Clarksdale Shelter

by: Dennis Turner

Clarksdale, MS - FAST FACTS:

• Shelter operators tried to run "no kill" shelter
• 400 animals found in shelter meant for 60
• ASPCA, other groups clean up, remove animals

The situation at a Mid-South animal shelter has become so bad, city leaders called in a national group to step in and take care of a growing problem.

The Clarksdale shelter was closed Monday, so volunteers could get a handle on a situation that left more than four hundred animals crowded into a space meant for just 60.

Hundreds of dogs and dozens of cats shared space in what volunteers called a dilapidated metal building just hours before animal lovers from around the country descended on the Clarksdale-Coahoma animal shelter to take charge and clean up what they called a horrible mess.

It left animal lovers here almost in tears. "I didn't really know all this was going on. I just found out this morning and it's upset me," said Linda Taylor of Clarksdale.

She says Kathy and Tom Phillips had done their best to run a no-kill shelter and ended up with more than they could handle.

"The smell was overwhelming. The room we are in now, was crowded with animals, there were feces, it was a horrible environment for these animals to live in," Said Tim Rickey of the ASPCA.

Over the weekend, town leaders finally stepped in.

Clarksdale Police Chief Greg Hoskins called in the ASPCA to help address the many problems. They in turn, put out the word, and groups responded from around the country.

Some of the volunteers weren't quite ready for what they found. "This is one of the most dire, horrendous situations I've ever seen," said Linda Ware of the Atlanta Humane Society..." More & video