Animal Control Officer Eva Wise Arrested for Animal Cruelty

Former Winnfield Animal Control Officer Eva Wise was arrested Friday for the charge of animal cruelty.

It all started at her former home off of Highway 1229 in Atlanta, Louisiana, a property she'd been renting since May 2013.

"She had said that she had recently gone to work for the city working as an animal control officer, so we were aware of that. She had a job so she could pay the rent," Johnson said.

The property's owner, Jennifer Johnson, said Wise had stopped paying rent by October 2013 and they were preparing to evict her when they got a call from the local humane society, the Heart of Louisiana Humane Society in Winnfield.

"They told me they had an issue for animal cruelty on our property. They had went to check it out but they needed my permission to go on our property," said Johnson.

The president of the humane society, Shonna Moss, told KTVE/KARD they received word about dying dogs from neighbors.

Moss said she personally saw 7 dogs chained with no food or water on the property.

Two others were dead.
The humane society said eight dogs and a litter of puppies were also found under another property just a mile away.

What Johnson said she saw paints an even worse picture.

"There was one laying almost dead in the yard and another puppy in equally bad shape. Out back there was an old chicken pen where the door had been fixed and shut where they couldn't get out and there was two skeletons in that pen," she said.

Johnson said she asked Wise - Why?

"She just said that she couldn't hardly afford to feed herself, much less the animals and she had said that she had told some of her husband's family they needed to come get the dogs because she had apparently up and left and this had been for several weeks," said Johnson.

Of all those dogs, only two survived.

The property was cleaned up with a new tenant living there by last December.

Wise now awaits trial, currently in jail on $100,000 bond.

The question remains: Why was Wise just arrested last Friday when the humane society said all this happened last October?

Law enforcement wouldn't tell KTVE/KARD, saying they didn't want to hurt the prosecution's case.

There is some good news about the last two surviving dogs.

Moss said one of the dogs, a german shepherd named "Kassi" currently has an adoption pending.

The other dog is also in a foster home and is available for adoption.
For more information on adoption, click here.

Probation Officer Kimberly Kibbe Arrested for Animal Cruelty

An animal cruelty trial is set March 8 for an East Texas probation officer.

Kimberly Gale Kibbe is accused of keeping 10 cats and five dogs in filthy conditions at a home in Gregg County. Another five cats were found dead.

Kibbe, who worked for the Gregg County Probation Office, is accused of failing to provide necessary care or shelter for at least 12 of the animals.

Officer Nikia Adams Arrested for Being Cruel to Animals

A call to the St. John animal shelter for help to remove a dead dog has landed a New Orleans police officer behind bars.

Nikia Adams was arrested Thursday for allegedly being cruel to animals. St John Parish deputies say Adams was arrested after two of her dogs were found earlier this week severely malnourished.

The St. John animal shelter called deputies after going to Adam’s home Tuesday to help with the removal of a deceased pet.

Adams is now out on bond.

Officer Richard Kleinpass Accused of Animal Cruelty

A Chicago cop is in the doghouse after being accused of neglecting animals he was keeping at his north suburban weekend getaway.

Officer Richard Kleinpass, 49, faces seven misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals after five dogs and two birds were removed from his Lake County home in Grayslake last month.

Grayslake authorities say they seized five neglected dogs and two birds from this house, owned by Chicago Police Officer Richard J. Kleinpass. He says the village has been harassing him over the condition of his property and that the animal case is a result of that.

Appearing in court Thursday, Kleinpass agreed to forfeit the animals and pay $3,375 to reimburse Lake County for the cost of veterinary bills, food and shelter since Nov. 30, when they were seized.

Lake County Judge Charles Johnson scheduled a Jan. 28 pretrial hearing for Kleinpass, who is facing a separate investigation by the Chicago Police Department's Internal Affairs Division. Kleinpass, a patrol officer in the Albany Park District, has been stripped of his police powers.

Kleinpass said the Village of Grayslake has been harassing him over the condition of his property and that the animal case is a result of that. He called the charges against him an overreaction. The animals were safe and secure, he said.

Kleinpass said he has owned the home since 2000 as a place to get away from Chicago, where he is required to live as a police officer.

But the home, which is across a road from a lake, has been anything but relaxing lately, Kleinpass said. "They won't even let you build a campfire out here," he said.

According to Grayslake police, Kleinpass brought on the problems because of the poor condition of his home. The condition of the animals was deplorable, Grayslake police officer Joe Manges said.

"I've never smelled anything like it," Manges said. "They were living in their own urine and feces."

Some of the dogs' teeth were rotted, and the animals are now on soft-food diets, Manges said. Others were suffering from skin diseases and were emaciated, he said.

The trouble for Kleinpass started in late November, when a Grayslake building inspector and village attorney were visiting the property to check for possible code violations, Manges said. They heard dogs barking and called the police.

Manges said police made several attempts to contact Kleinpass. After four days, police got a warrant to enter the property and rescue the animals, which they said were left without food or water. The home wasn't heated, and the temperature dipped to about 30 degrees at night, Manges said.

Lake County authorities plan to seek new homes for the animals. If they fail, the animals will be donated to Orphans of the Storm, a private no-kill shelter, Manges said.

"We're hoping the animals will have a good Christmas this year," he said.

Corrections Officer Christopher Shreve Arrested for Shooting Cat

On a spring morning this year, Eoanna Hoefer's 8-year-old cat Tinkerbelle slipped out of the house for a few minutes while Hoefer carried a load of laundry to a back room; when the orange feline returned, she was dragging her hind legs, a bloody wound visible on her spine.

At first, Hoefer thought an insect had bitten her pet. But when the normally cheerful Tinkerbelle wouldn't eat or go to the bathroom, Hoefer took the animal to the veterinarian. An X-ray showed the cat had a pellet lodged in her spine, probably from a BB gun, a police report shows. The doctor also told Hoefer that Tinkerbelle would likely be paralyzed and never be able to urinate or defecate normally, the report states.

On Sept. 19, Daytona Beach police arrested Hoefer's neighbor, 46-year-old Christopher Shreve. Police charged him with animal cruelty -- a felony -- after he was accused of shooting the cat with a BB gun, the report shows.

A corrections officer with Tomoka Correctional Institution, Shreve has been placed on administrative leave with pay by the state's Department of Corrections, spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger said.

He did not return calls for comment, instead opting to speak through his attorney, Michael Politis. Earlier this week, Politis said Shreve is "pretty adamant that he never hurt that cat."

"My client does not have a BB gun that I know of," Politis said.

But the incident report taken in March and written by Daytona Beach Officer Liz Devlin says differently.

Devlin met with Shreve at his residence on Dach Avenue.

According to the report, Shreve told Devlin he may have made a comment about shooting stray cats at one time, but he never followed through with the threat. Shreve told Devlin that he had lived in the same house for 30 years and had no idea Hoefer had any cats. But then he told Devlin that Hoefer "lets her cats out all the time and they're always roaming the streets."

In addition, Daytona Beach code enforcement officer Tom Clig told Devlin that on April 14 Shreve admitted to him that he shot Tinkerbelle "to scare it off." Devlin also wrote that according to Clig, Shreve conceded he was sick of all the stray cats around his house and that he had "taken up shooting them with his BB gun," the report states.

Politis said his client's statements to Clig and Devlin were misunderstood. He said Shreve, who is to be arraigned today, will enter a plea of not guilty.

For Hoefer, who rescued Tinkerbelle when she was just a kitten, the entire ordeal has been an emotional battle since the beloved pet was injured in early March and forced to spend two weeks at the animal hospital.

The good news is Tinkerbelle is walking again -- albeit slowly -- and she is able to relieve herself, although with pain, Hoefer said.

The friendly feline's slow recovery came through several months of patient therapy by Hoefer, who suffers with a seizure disorder after she was struck by a car in 1988 and walks with an arm brace because of degenerative arthritis.

"Love for Tinkerbelle is what gave me the energy to be able to do the therapy," Hoefer answered quickly at her home this week. "I refused to let this cat live its remaining years dragging herself around on her rear end."

Hoefer, who once worked in orthopedics, massaged and exercised Tinkerbelle's hind legs with her hands daily; she ran a wire brush down her pet's legs to stimulate the nerves. As Tinkerbelle progressed, Hoefer placed a stool near the sofa and taught the feline how to step up and get on the couch again.

Regardless, some of the cat's simplest functions are gone.

"She can no longer scratch herself with her hind legs, so I try to do it for her," Hoefer said smiling at Tinkerbelle and Bandit, another rescue cat. "Sometimes she makes it to the litter box and sometimes she doesn't. Sometimes she cries when she goes to the bathroom because she's in pain."

Hoefer said the worst thing about the incident is that Shreve never came to her house to apologize for hurting Tinkerbelle.

"He came over here and yelled at me," she said.

Trial Set for Officer Michael Wooton Accused of Shooting Neighbor's Dog

A judge has ordered the case of an Essex police officer suspected of fatally shooting his neighbor's dog to go to trial.

Michael Wootton, 35, of Waterville allegedly shot Hooch, an 80-pound mixed-breed, after it attacked his dog, Yoda, a 20-pound pug, April 30, on Phyllis Lane in Waterville, according to court papers.

Wootton pleaded not guilty in May to committing cruelty to animals and two months later asked to have the charge dismissed. Judge Christina Reiss denied Wootton's motion to dismiss Sept. 3 in Vermont District Court in Hyde Park. Jury draw for his trial is scheduled for Nov. 2.

The Essex Police Department placed Wootton, a full-time officer, on administrative duties after the shooting.

Yoda allegedly ran on to Wootton's neighbors' property and got into a fight with their dog Hooch. Wootton said he feared Hooch would kill Yoda, and after failing with two other people to keep the dogs apart, went back to his house to get his handgun, according to court papers.

Hooch's owners, Ritchie and Rosemary Rogers, arrived home after their dog had been killed.

Although Hooch died on Wootton's lawn, Vermont State Police Cpl. Mark Lucas, who investigated the case, said he found the bullet, which apparently passed through the dog, on the Rogers' driveway, according to court papers.

One Vermont law prohibits the intentional killing of someone's pet without the owner's consent, while another law permits the killing of a pet if the animal attacks, and poses a reasonable threat of injuring, another pet.

The maximum penalty for committing cruelty to animals is a fine of $2,000, up to one year in prison or both.
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http://www.wptz.com/news/20986051/detail.html

Dead Dogs Found on Officer Matthew Beck's Property

The bodies of at least two dogs with gunshot wounds to the head were found Wednesday by police on the property of town Dog Control Officer Matthew Beck.
Town Supervisor Marilyn Douglas said Friday Beck has been placed on an indefinite leave of absence without pay.

Sgt. James Doyle of the New York State Police said the bones have been turned over to Ward Stone, a state Department of Environmental Conservation wildlife pathologist, for identification. Doyle said Stone's investigation so far indicates the two dogs were shot in the head while looking up at the weapon.

Beck was arrested by state police in March and charged with a felony count of forgery, and a number of misdemeanors relating to alleged misconduct of a public official, a petit larceny. The charges and subsequent investigation stem from a complaint by April Stevens of Hoosick, who lost her two dogs in February.

A resident reported to Stevens that she had found the lost dogs and turned them over to Beck. When police told Beck to return Stevens' dogs, the animals he returned were not hers.

Police said the current charges stem from Beck allegedly falsifying reports.

Doyle said that depending on the outcome of Stone's investigation, Beck may face further charges. He said Beck's next court date is June 11.

He said the findings bolster police suspicions that Beck killed Stevens' dogs. Also found in the manure pile with the dog bones were a number of cow bones, but Doyle said he did not believe there was any illegal activity regarding cows.
Douglas said Friday that the town's attorney has advised the Town Board not to comment on the case, as it is a pending legal issue. Douglas said Safe Haven Boarding and Grooming of Greenwich has been hired by the town to perform the duties of dog control officer.

Prior to Beck's leave of absence, he was supervised by Douglas and Highway Superintendent Bill Shiland and filed monthly reports to the board.

After the incident, some residents began expressing their concern at monthly board meetings about Beck still being on the job and having to be supervised while the investigation was conducted.

Douglas and other board members said they could not comment on personnel matters outside of executive sessions, and at the time the evidence against Beck was not great enough to warrant further actions against him.

K-9 Dog Dies After Being Left Unattended in Car

The district attorney's office is set to decide Monday whether to file charges against an Alameda police K-9 officer whose dog died after he allegedly left it unattended while he was on duty.

The officer, who has not been named, was attending a training exercise May 5 when he left the animal unattended for about three hours and 15 minutes inside his personal vehicle, police said.

When the officer returned to the vehicle, which was in a parking lot in the 2200 block of Lincoln Avenue, he found the 6 1/2-year Belgian Malinois in "distress," Alameda police Lt. Bill Scott said.

The dog was brought to the Bay Area Veterinary Emergency Clinic San Leandro, where it died.

"It was a tragic accident," Scott said. "There was no intention on the officer's part for this to happen, whatsoever."

Investigators presented a possible criminal case on the animal's death to Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Charlotte Green on Wednesday morning.

Green is expected to announce Monday whether she plans to file charges, Scott said.

The officer is also currently the subject of an internal affairs investigation. He remains on duty, however, and has not been placed on administrative leave.

Along with not naming the officer, police declined to reveal how long he has served with the department.
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Information:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/27/BASS17S4TL.DTL

Officer Michael Wooton Pleads Not Guilty to Shooting Neighbor's Dog

An off-duty Essex police officer accused of shooting his neighbor's dog after it got into a fight with his Pug pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday morning.

Police say Michael J. Wootton, 34, of Waterville, shot and killed his neighbor's mixed-breed dog earlier this month.

The shooting happened after Wootton's dog went to a neighbor's property and got into a fight with a dog owned by Melinda Maskell. Police say Wootton then went home, got a handgun and fired one shot at the dog.

"If he would have had his dog on a leash, none of this would have happened," Maskell said.

Maskell showed us pictures of her dog Hooch, in happier times. She described the mixed-breed as well-mannered.

"I mean the dog sat pretty, that's how well he minded, he knew commands, he went to obedience school for a year," Maskell said.

Court records show Hooch was shot in the stomach. Maskell says her two year old daughter was just feet away from Wootton, when it happened.

"They're supposed to serve and protect us and to have to explain to my children why they murdered my dog, in front of my child, is one of the hardest parts to it," Maskell said.

Maskell understands court proceedings could be far from over.

"My family and I are going to pursue this until we get justice, one way or the other," Maskell said.

Maskell said she was surprised there wasn't a reckless endangerment charge against Wootton, since her daughter was nearby at the time of the alleged incident.

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Previous Post:
http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/05/officer-michael-wooton-accused-of.html
More Information: http://www.fox44.net/Global/story.asp?S=10428016

Animal Control Officr Roy Hamilton Charged with Animal Cruelty

Forrest City’s chief animal control officer has been charged with animal cruelty, but it’s hard to find someone who wants to talk about it on the record.

One exception is the mayor, who said the subject may be brought up at Tuesday’s city council meeting, and that “appropriate action” will be taken.

According to a report from the St. Francis County Sheriff’s Department, Roy Hamilton, 24, of 121 Early Cove, was arrested at 8:20 a.m., Wednesday and charged, according to the report, with cruelty to animals and impounding animals.

The alleged offense occurred April 4. However, there are several affidavits which allege that Hancock was not properly caring for dogs in the city’s humane shelter, dating back to Jan. 12.

The accusations are that Hamilton was not providing food or water for extended lengths of time to animals at the shelter.

The charges were brought by members of the Forrest City Area Humane Society.

One member whose name appears in the accusations, Gayden Schwartz, said she felt that she should not comment on the charges. Attempts to contact Kim Hudspeth, also with the FCAHS, were unsuccessful.

Contacted this morning, Hamilton said he had no comment on the charges.

Also contacted this morning, Mayor Gordon McCoy seemed angered by the charges.

“It’s crazy, man,” he said. “It has gone too far, that’s all I can say. I’m fixing to take appropriate action and do what I need to do. That is the bottom line.”

He declined to say what he meant by appropriate action.

“I won’t say right now,” said McCoy. “I’d rather not comment on that. I have to wait until I finish meeting with legal counsel. But I want everyone to know that we are firmly supporting Mr. Hamilton, with any means we possess. He is a city employee and he represents us.”

As far as any other comments, McCoy said, “I’m just going to wait. I certainly intend to discuss it Tuesday night.”

The charges against Hamilton make up the latest chapter in the on-going dispute between the city and the Humane Society.

Last October, Brook Goodbar resigned as animal control director, and there was some concern that animals at the shelter might be euthanized. In November, McCoy announced that Hamilton had been hired to head up animal control.

In January of this year, following a dispute at the humane shelter over the care of animals, McCoy recommended that the city and the Humane Society make a complete break.

“Sometimes you’ve got to realize when some things are working or not working,” McCoy said at the time. “Recently we’ve had a lot of discussion between Forrest City Animal Control and the Humane Society…This is part of my job, but not all of it. I owe Forrest City more than that. I wasn’t elected to spend all this time with animal control,” he said.

No council action has been taken on the matter.
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http://www.kfsm.com/news/sns-ap-ar--animalofficercharged,0,810846.story

Cpl Michael Wootton Accused of Shooting Neighbor's Dog

What are they thinking up in Essex? A police officer is charged with a crime involving a gun, yet the department fails to immediately relieve him of duty. For the sake of keeping the public's trust, the officer should have been placed on leave until the matter is settled.

Cpl. Michael J. Wootton is accused of shooting and killing a neighbor's dog which was fighting with his own dog and was charged with animal cruelty after a state police investigation. The crime is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison, a fine of up to $2,000 or both.

In a news release issued Tuesday, The Essex Police Department stated in part: "The department continues to review the incident administratively. At this time, Corporal Wootton has not been placed on administrative leave and we cannot comment further due to the ongoing administrative investigation."

This refusal to comment on an investigation into the conduct of a police officer has become an all too familiar refrain that undermines confidence in law enforcement. An employer needs to respect the right of privacy in a personnel matter, but a government has to weigh that right against the public interest, which requires transparency when looking into charges of wrongdoing.

The least the Essex Police Department should do is put the officer at a desk in a job that doesn't involve guns and involves minimal contact with the public until the matter is settled, and let the public know that this action has been taken.

A better move would be to put in him on leave and out of uniform until his court case runs its course, if for no other reason than to reassure the public that the department takes the safety of the public seriously.

We don't know all the circumstances surrounding the shooting of the dog, but the bare facts are enough to raise concern about Wootton's judgment when it comes to the use of his gun. If there are good reasons to allow the officer to remain on duty and carry a gun, they need to be made clear to the public.

Until the concerns can be cleared up -- and without passing judgment on Cpl. Wootton -- the officer should not be placed in an official role that involves carrying a gun.

When a police officer has been charged with a crime, his superiors must do everything it can to protect the reputation of the department and ensure the public's faith in the police. So far, the Essex Police Department's response to the Wootton affair serves neither interest well.
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http://www.fox44.net/Global/story.asp?S=10347893

Dog Owner Upset After Police Shoot His Dog

The Bartlesville police department is taking heat from a dog owner whose pit bull was killed yesterday.

The owner says police shot and killed the dog as it was running away. Police disagree. And, finding out what really happened could be hard to do.

The only thing agreed upon about this story is that it's about a dead dog. Whether or not he should have wound up that way is highly debatable.

The sidewalk is still stained with a blood trail that leads straight to controversy. Police Chief Tom Holland and dog owner Demetrius Morales have a tale of one dog from two different views.

Moose was a five-month-old pit bull, similar in color to one of Demetrius's other pits. Yesterday, Moose got out of the house, after which cops were called.

"Several neighbors were yelling be careful, he's vicious," Chief Holland says.

"My neighbors over here told them that dog's not aggressive, we play with him every day," says Demetrius.

Holland says the dog turned and came at both of the responding officers.

"Out of concern for their own safety, officers drew their weapons and the officer shot the dog in the shoulder," Holland says.

"Do you believe the officer?"

"No, I do not believe that officer," Morales said. "I have never showed my dogs how to be aggressive and they're not aggressive."

Holland says the department believes no police procedures were violated. But now, the controversial death of Moose might end up in court, where two views of what's right will be argued next.

"Get this officer either disciplined or he's gonna at least admit 'Okay I was wrong'," says Morales.

"Both of these are good officers," Holland says. "They did the right thing."

The controversy doesn't end there. Morales is upset that his dog's body was taken to the landfill. He says he wanted to bury his dog himself.

Officer Michael Wooton Accused of Shooting Neighbor's Dog

An off-duty Essex police officer could face charges for shooting his allegedly neighbor’s dog after it tangled with his Pug, state police say.

Michael J. Wootton, 34, an Essex police officer who lives in Waterville, allegedly shot and killed the mixed-breed dog Thursday afternoon.

Police say his Pug went to a neighbor’s property on Phyllis Lane and became involved in a fight with a dog belonging to Melinda Maskell, 28. Wootton returned home, obtained a hand gun and fired one shot into the dog, according to a state police.

Wootton could face charges of cruelty to animals and recklessly endangering another person. An investigation is under way.
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http://www.fox44.net/Global/story.asp?S=10284996

A Bunny Tale...Officer Alvin Perez Maces the Rabbit

A Denver sheriff's deputy who pleaded guilty to a charge of animal cruelty for using Mace on a rabbit continues to oversee inmates at the Denver County Jail.

Alvin Perez, 41, was suspended for two months without pay and then was reinstated, said people familiar with the case. The date of his reinstatement was not available Monday.

A criminal complaint says that on May 28, Perez saw a rabbit near where he was standing outside the Denver County Jail during his break.

He got a can of Mace and sprayed the rabbit for no apparent reason.

Perez pleaded guilty to one count of animal cruelty and was sentenced in December to one year of supervised probation, a one-year suspended jail sentence and a $500 fine.

Perez declined to comment.
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http://policecrimes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6449

Porter Officer Accused of Shooting Dog at Animal Shelter

Porter

An animal cruelty investigation is underway after an allegations that a dog was shot to death by a police officer while inside an animal shelter.

It allegedly happened earlier this month in Porter, about 30 miles east of Tulsa in Wagoner County. Former officer Bobby Bacon says he pulled up at the animal shelter and didn't like what he heard.

"I heard a 'pop, arf, pop, arf, pop, arf', three times the dog was screaming."

Bacon says next, he was called to the police station by the officer who allegedly pulled the trigger.

"They said they were on a budget and we don't have the money to get them properly euthanized," Bacon says. "A life is a life, a dog, cat, cow. They have a life. They live and breathe and that's not policy and procedure. That's animal cruelty to me."

Bacon says the dog was shot by a weapon from the police evidence room. We tried to reach the Porter Animal Control officer, but she had no comment. Also, our repeated efforts to contact the officer involved were unsuccessful.

Wagoner County Sheriff Bob Colbert confirms he is looking into the case.

"They have made a complaint that the dog was shot with an evidence rifle in the custody of the Porter Police Department," Colbert said. "We've seen no animal. Again, if they would have made the complaint at the time when this allegedly happened, we could have investigated it better."

Bacon left the police department after an arrest on his record several years ago came to light. He says the allegation of animal cruelty is not him wanting to get back at the department. He says animals should not be euthanized this way and has contacted the Governor's office.

We don't know how long it will take for the investigation to be completed. The results of the investigation will determine whether or not charges are filed.

Officer Scott Taylor Fired after being Investigated for Beating Police Dog

Scott Taylor, the University of Nevada, Reno police officer who has been under investigation for claims of police abuse and for allegedly beating his assigned police dog, no longer works at UNR, spokeswoman Jane Tors said today.

“He is no longer an employee,” she said. “He was notified of this (Wednesday).”

Tors said she is prohibited from discussing whether Taylor was fired or why he no longer works at UNR because, by law, it is a confidential personnel matter.

Neither Taylor or his attorney could be reached for comment.

When contacted Wednesday about reports Taylor had been fired, Tors said the university had taken action that dealt with Taylor and that the action was based on “an internal matter and not the dog, which would still be within the purview of the Attorney General’s office.”

UNR Police Chief Adam Garcia had put Taylor on paid leave last month pending an internal investigation after a complaint of police abuse was made against him Feb. 3.

“It was a complaint against his inappropriate conduct with a citizen while on duty,” Garcia had said.

In an earlier complaint filed in January with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA said Taylor had been accused of beating his K-9 patrol dog, a male German shepherd name Niko, to the point that the dog defecated on the floor at the university’s police station.

Garcia turned that investigation over to the Attorney General’s office.

Michael Langton, Taylor’s attorney, has stated that his client maintains he is innocent.

Langton said Taylor had explained that the dog defecated on the floor at the UNR police station not out of fear, but because the animal was ill, and that Taylor took him to a veterinarian after the incident.

Garcia said that after PETA contacted him Jan. 29 about the complaint, he had Niko taken away from Taylor and brought to a Reno veterinarian to be examined and kept, pending the outcome of the Attorney General’s investigation.

University officials have said that the initial assessment by the veterinarian who examined Niko found “no overt signs of abuse or trauma.”

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http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/mar/12/officer-accused-of-beating-dog-no-longer-at-unr/

Family Says Deputy Eric Grundeman Shot their Family Dog

COLLIER COUNTY

A Golden Gate Estates family says a deputy shot their dog. But officials with the sheriff's office say it was only because the dog was threatening the deputy.

Wrinkles, a Rottweiler mix, was allegedly shot by Collier County Sheriff's Deputy Eric Grundeman.

A spokeswoman with the Collier County Sheriff's Office said Grundeman went to the family's house on 47th Avenue Wednesday night after learning about a broken down vehicle.

The deputy claims the dog lunged at him in a threatening manner. He says that is why he shot Wrinkles once with his service weapon.


Family members took him to an animal clinic where he was treated for a punctured lung and released.

The family says it is still puzzled by the deputy's actions.

"I think [deputies] are here to help, not to do things like this - it's not right. They came on to our property to help us supposedly with another situation, making it worse. Now my dog that I've had for 8 years, he could have been gone because of this incident," said dog owner Brendi Gutierrez.

We spoke to Deputy Grundeman on the phone. But all he would say was, "You'll have to take it up through the chain of command."

The Collier County Sheriff's Office says it will conduct an internal investigation. For now though, Grundeman is not under any form if administrative leave.


As for Wrinkles' family members, they say they're planning on pressing charges.


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http://www.nbc-2.com/Articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=26714&z=3

Campus Officer Investigated for Abusing His Police Dog

RENO, Nev.

University of Nevada, Reno's police chief says a campus police officer is under investigation following two separate complaints of citizen abuse and abuse of his police dog.

Chief Adam Garcia says the dog, a male German shepherd named Niko, was removed from service following the Jan. 29 complaint of animal cruelty. The dog was taken to a veterinary clinic for an examination and is being kept there pending an investigation.

Garcia tells the Reno Gazette-Journal that the incident is being investigated by the state attorney general's office.

Garcia also says the officer was placed on paid leave after another complaint was received Feb. 3 from several people alleging police abuse.

The officer's name was not released.

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Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal, http://www.rgj.com
More Information: http://www.rgj.com/article/20090210/NEWS01/902100347/1321/NEWS

Officer Robert Melia Jr Accused of Molesting 3 Girls and Performing Sex Acts on Cows Pleads Not Guilty

A suspended Moorestown police officer who is accused of molesting three young girls pleaded not guilty yesterday in Superior Court in Burlington County.

Robert Melia Jr., 38, also pleaded not guilty to official misconduct, as well as to animal cruelty. In addition to the molestation charges, Melia is accused of performing sex acts on cows in Southampton.

The Burlington County Prosecutor's Office began investigating Melia after one of the girls reported an assault to her relative. She later told authorities she had been assaulted repeatedly inside Melia's Moorestown home.

Melia was arrested in April, along with his girlfriend, Heather Lewis, who is charged separately with sexually assaulting a juvenile male.

Melia, who was a patrolman, has been free on $410,000 bail since June.

If convicted, Melia and Lewis could spend the rest of their lives in prison, authorities said.

Corrections Deputy Diane Brown Steals Neighbors Maltese

A San Diego County corrections deputy is facing criminal charges after allegedly putting her neighbor's yappy Maltese in the trunk of her car and abandoning it about 20 miles from her Hemet home, authorities said.

Diane M. Brown, 42, was booked into a Riverside County jail Thursday and released on $5,000 bond. A court date has been set for Nov. 20.

Brown works as a corrections deputy at the Vista jail, sheriff's officials confirmed yesterday.

Brown's frustration with her neighbor's fluffy white dog, named Spike, began more than a year ago when she claimed the dog's barking was a nuisance, said Riverside County Animal Services spokesman John Welsh.

Brown took the dog's owner to court, but the judge threw out the case.

On Monday, it appears Brown took matters into her own hands.

Employees at the Cherry Valley Water District in Beaumont said they saw a woman take a dog out her trunk and dump it in front of the building, Welsh said. The woman returned about a minute later, apparently to remove the dog's collar.

Two surveillance cameras captured the incident, and one witness copied down the woman's license plate. The witnesses brought the unharmed dog to a veterinarian, who scanned the dog's microchip and called its owner.

Hemet police later booked Brown into jail on suspicion of being in possession of stolen property. Animal Services officials also are pursuing a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty for abandoning the dog, which is valued at $2,000, Welsh said.