Linda Baker-Corsigilia - Tulare / Kern, California

Aug 6, 2010: Charges dropped against animal hoarder found with 200 dead and dying animals

The Tulare County District Attorney has released a woman who was found with more than 200 dead, sick and dying animals, many of which came from the Kern County shelter.

Linda Baker-Corsigilia is out of jail after 200 or so sick, dying and dead animals were found at her Strathmore property a week ago.

Kern County animal shelter employees became suspicious of the woman who frequently went to the shelter to supposedly rescue dogs and cats. Kern County Animal Control Director Guy Shaw says they became suspicious of the so-called rescuer because nothing about her fit the mold of a professional rescue operation. However, a bonafide group vouched for her when shelter called them. Still, Bakersfield animal shelter staff called Tulare County authorities to check it out. Officers found 200 dead and dying animals. About 40 animals were dead, some of which were decomposing in containers.

Tulare County sheriff's deputies said the DA wants the sheriff's department to do more investigating before they will file animal cruelty charges.

Corsiglia's 16-year-old daughter was also taken into protective custody..." Link

Aug 3, 2010: Tulare Animal Hoarder Puts Spotlight On Kern County Animal Control

by: Christine Dinh

A Tulare County woman has been accused of hoarding and abusing more than 140 animals. Kern County Animal Control said the woman had taken in 200 animals from the shelter over the past few months. ABC 23 went to the shelter to examine its rescue protocol

Tulare County released Linda Corsiglia from jail Monday after nearly 200 animals were found dead, abused or neglected inside her Tulare County home last week. Corsiglia was arrested after Kern County Animal Control tipped off Tulare authorities. "The staff sensed something was wrong. They were just uneasy," said Guy Shaw of Animal Control..." More & video

July 30, 2010: 200 animals abused in Strathmore

By: John-Thomas Kobos

Investigators said they've uncovered one of the worst ever cases of animal abuse even in Tulare County and a juvenile's life was also threatened. At least 50 animals were found dead and even more neglected at a home in Strathmore. Investigators have arrested 53-year-old Linda Corsiglia.

On a remote stretch of country road outside of Strathmore ... various animal crates, canned food, even a bale of hay makes this home look like it was turned into an animal rescue shelter -- Tulare County investigators said that's what Linda Corsiglia wants people to believe.

"Kern County Animal Control actually received some information that there was a location in Strathmore that might be operating as an animal shelter," said Sgt. Chris Douglass.

Douglass said that tip also included information that animals there were being abused. When investigators showed up on Thursday they found at least 50 animals -- dogs, cats, rabbits and a chicken -- dead inside this home. They also found 150 other animals starving for food and water.

Corsiglia only lived in this home for two months. Residents we spoke to say that was not enough time to get to know her but they did notice several empty animal cages outside of this home..." More & video

Coral Kerr - Porterville, California

Feb 14, 2010: Animal abuse trial

A May 20 trial date was set Monday for a California Hot Springs woman accused of keeping dozens of cats and dogs and one ram in squalid conditions on her southeast Tulare County property.

Coral Kerr, 62, faces three misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.

On June 16, a Tulare County animal control officer and sheriff's deputy seized 32 cats and dogs, the ram and 16 dead kittens from her property.

Authorities said they found the property and one of its buildings reeking of urine and feces, with animal waste spread up to 8 inches deep on a kitchen floor.

Kerr, who has worked as an illustrator in film, theater and television, said she has been a volunteer animal rescuer for years.

A pretrial hearing was set for May 17...." Link (scroll to pg 2)

Oct 14, 2009: Motion to suppress evidence withdrawn in animal cruelty case

An attorney for the California Hot Springs woman accused of animal cruelty withdrew Wednesday a motion to suppress evidence in the case.

Inna Petrovsky, the court-appointed attorney representing 62-year-old Coral Kerr withdrew the motion in a pretrial hearing in Tulare County Superior Court in Porterville, according to a spokeswoman with the Tulare County District Attorney's Office.

Petrovsky, with the Tulare County Public Defender's Office, could not be reached Wednesday.

Kerr is accused of keeping dozens of cats and dogs in unsanitary conditions at her rural property in southeast Tulare County. On June 16, a Tulare County Animal Control officer and deputy sheriff seized 32 cats and dogs, one ram and 16 dead kittens from the property.

In an August interview, an attorney with the public defender's office questioned whether authorities had any reason or consent to enter Kerr's property in June. Cheryl Smith, the attorney, said the motion to suppress evidence was planned based on that question..." More

Sept 5, 2009: California Hot Springs woman pleads not guilty in animal cruelty case

A woman accused of keeping dozens of cats and dogs and one sheep in squalid conditions on her southeast Tulare County property pleaded not guilty Wednesday to three misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty.

Coral Kerr, 62, entered her plea during an arraignment in Tulare County Superior Court in Porterville.

Investigators with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency found 35 dead kittensinside a home on Kerr's California Hot Springs property June 16, according to the Tulare County Sheriff's Department. Twenty cats, 12 dogs and the sheep were found alive in various stages of health, the sheriff's department reported.

The surviving animals were removed from the property, about 66 miles southeast of Visalia, and taken to Tulare County Animal Control, deputies reported.

The visit to Kerr's property was the second by the county in June. On June 10, after receiving a complaint about the number and condition of animals on the property, Tulare County animal control officials "gave notice" that the animals' living conditions had to improve, a sheriff's official said.

Six days later, health investigators returned and found the dead kittens.

"We're trying to determine why there was a delay [in discovering the kittens]," Lt. Keith Douglass said at the time.

The Sheriff's Department offered no additional details about the case Wednesday.

Kerr was never arrested in the case, a Tulare County District Attorney spokeswoman said Wednesday..." More

More on Pet-abuse.com