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Jul 193 min read

PENELOPE SMITH-BERK, kennel and animal rescue owner, arrested and charged with animal cruelty

- New York, USA -

 

The SPCA Westchester announced that their Humane Law Enforcement Unit (HLE), under the direction of Ernest Lungaro, arrested PENELOPE SMITH-BERK (pictured via Facebook), and charged her with five counts of animal cruelty.

 

BERK, founder of Rescue Right on 402 Old Post Road in Bedford and owner of Northwind Kennels in Bedford, was taken into custody on July 17, 2024, but the incident that ultimately led to her arrest dates back to October 2023.

 

In a press release, the SPCA Westchester said that on October 3, 2023, they were alerted “by several witnesses to a dire situation regarding 4 sick Bernese Mountain Dog puppies who were being denied proper medical care at Rescue Right in Northwind Kennels.”

 

The following day, HLE and state Health Department officials visited the kennel and discovered all four puppies, and their mom, Annabelle, were “suffering and in critical condition”, stated the release. The release goes on to say, “One of the puppies could barely breathe and was nonresponsive.”

 

Officials immediately rushed Annabelle and her babies to a private veterinary hospital where all five were diagnosed with Distemper Virus.


According to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s description, “Canine distemper is a contagious and serious disease caused by the canine distemper virus. The virus attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems of dogs.”

 

Sadly, mom and babies were all euthanized. One of the puppies was euthanized upon arrival at the hospital as he/she was “too far gone to be saved”, explained the SPCA Westchester.

Annabelle and her other three babies were euthanized days later “to prevent further suffering.”

 

As further explained by the SPCA Westchester, the disease “is highly preventable with proper vaccinations and timely medical care. If the dogs had not been denied veterinary treatment, their outcome could have been very different.”

 

According to the SPCA Westchester, Annabelle originated from an Amish Pennsylvania puppy mill and was brought to Rescue Right along with an unneutered male Bernese Mountain. Anabelle was not spayed and she was subsequently impregnated.

 

On July 18, 2024, SMITH-BERK appeared at Bedford Town Court and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

 

On Rescue Right’s Facebook page, a recent post read:

“To everyone who follows our rescue organization:

For months now, I have been the target of false and damaging rumors. These attacks have led to the filing of misdemeanor charges in Bedford Justice Court. I have pled not guilty and intend to vigorously contest these charges.  I have rescued, cared for, and adopted out thousands of animals over the years, making enormous personal sacrifices to do so.  To the many people who have reached out to me today, I'm grateful for your support.

I will not be commenting further.

Thank you.”

 

SMITH-BERK’s next court date is set for August 28, 2024.


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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from a press release by the SPCA Westchester. Link included. Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.

 




 

 

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Writer's picturevoiceforus
Jul 183 min read

MACEY MICHELLE CASTEEL accused of leaving thirteen puppies in a hot car – Ten puppies died

- Missouri, USA -

 

The Springfield Police Department arrested 30-year-old MACEY MICHELLE CASTEEL (pictured).

 

On the early morning of Sunday, July 14, 2024, Greene County Dispatch received a 911 call about several dogs who were inside a white Toyota Corolla in a parking lot. The caller advised the dogs had been in the vehicle for at least three hours unattended.

 

Three hours after the call, an officer with the Springfield Police Department checked on the dogs, and according to the affidavit, the officer “deemed them not in distress and Springfield Animal Control would not respond.” The officer then rescheduled the call for 9:00 a.m.

 

At 9:39 a.m. another officer went to check on the dogs and saw significant condensation on the inside. The officer observed stacks of dog crates on the back seat and reported that there were multiple dogs in each travel crate and several were whining.

 

The officer reported, “I could see at least one dog heavily panting inside each kennel. There appeared to be dogs inside that were not alive, as they were laying with their eyes open but not moving, and tongues hanging out of their mouths.”

 

When the officer was able to open the vehicle, there was heat radiating from inside and it felt “in excess of 100 degrees.”

 

Two of the crates were filled with young puppies, which were piled on top of each other. Only six of the twelve puppies inside the crates were breathing and only one was able to sit up. They were hot and their fur was matted with moisture. Another dog was found hiding under the passenger's seat.

 

The affidavit described the puppies as 9-week-old Mini Cockapoos.

 

As the officer was on scene, CASTEEL arrived and asked the officer: “Are my puppies OK?”

 

CASTEEL confirmed the puppies were hers and she was placed under arrest. She told the officer that sometime during the night she went to a friend’s house and that only at 4:00 a.m. she remembered the puppies were still in the car. CASTEEL claimed she asked her friend to drive her to her car but the friend refused and she fell back asleep. When she woke up, she walked back to her vehicle. CASTEEL went on to tell the officer that she was traveling to Oklahoma to sell the puppies.

 

Animal Control responded to the scene and took the furvictims to the Emergency Vet Clinic where several of them sadly had to be euthanized due to heat related illness. Only three of the thirteen puppies survived. According to the affidavit, “In the vehicle, the dogs had no access to water, food, or fresh air.”

 

CASTEEL was booked into the Greene County Jail on 13 counts of animal abuse and bond was set at $10,000. She has since been released.

 

Court records show that CASTEEL is scheduled to appear at Greene County Circuit Court on September 3, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.

 

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the Probable Cause Affidavit.

Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.

 

 

CASTEEL’s mugshot provided to Voice For Us by the Springfield Police Department.






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Writer's picturevoiceforus
Jul 173 min read

EVELAND MARIE COLBERT, JARAH LEE FRAZIER, and BONNIE SUE HAHN arrested after rescue of 41 animals

- Florida, USA -

 

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office arrested 20-year-old EVELAND MARIE COLBERT, 44-year-old JARAH LEE FRAZIER, and 46-year-old BONNIE SUE HAHN (all pictured).

 

On June 20, 2024, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office along with Panhandle Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) Officers went to a property on 6547 Florida Avenue in Crestview to perform a welfare check.

 

Ms. Kira East, PAWS’ Animal Control Supervisor, said they received a complaint over the phone regarding several dogs at the property who were weak and unable to stand.

 

Officers found forty-one (41) animals, and according to the arrest reports obtained by Voice For Us, “most of the animals were in bad health.”

 

Ms. East said they removed twenty-one dogs – fourteen of them considered severely malnourished - ribs showing - and dehydrated. All of them had fleas and tapeworms.

 

Additionally, officials found and rescued nine hens, three rabbits, three roosters, two cats, a duck, a ferret, and a pig.  

 

Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden said in a press release: “The emaciated dogs are gaining weight and will be adoptable. At least one however remains on a feeding tube at this time.”

 

Alaqua Animal Refuge is also assisting the sheriff’s office with this case. Its founder, Ms. Laurie Hood, said in a statement: “The animals from the case were some of the worst we have ever seen.  Twenty-one animals arrived at the refuge, many in critical condition, and several remain in ICU today.”

 

Ms. Danielle Lamarre, Alaqua Animal Refuge Clinic Manager, stated: “One of the dogs named Chance from this case is the worst I have ever witnessed in my career. This dog was critically underweight and had bed sores all over him from the protrusion of his hips and spine rubbing against the box that he was living in.  It will take 6-8 months under our care before he can be ready for a home.”

 

On their Facebook page, Alaqua Animal Refuge posted an update on some of the dogs in their care.

Part of the post read: “Progress on the animals is slow but positive. Sullivan, better known as ‘Sully’ by our staff, is being fostered by one of our staff members. He has gone from a mere 38 pounds to 46.5 pounds and greets staff members every day at our morning meeting. Sometimes, he is able to walk in on his own, and other days, he is rolled in, sitting comfortably in a wagon. 

Flik, the dog locked in a box and covered with open sores, is also progressing. Critically underweight, he is being fed every two hours and remains in the ICU to tend to his wounds. Our clinic estimates that it will take at least 3 months to get his weight healthy and 6-8 months before he is ready for a home.”

 

Alaqua Animal Refuge depends on donations for all of its operations and to cover the costly treatment of the Voiceless Victims rescued from Florida Avenue, a special fund has been set up. If you wish and can afford to help out, please click here. Thank you!

 

COLBERT, FRAZIER, and HAHN were arrested on July 12, 2024, and charged with fourteen counts of aggravated animal cruelty and fourteen counts of animal cruelty.

  

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Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the arrest reports provided to Voice For Us. Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.

 

 

Mugshots provided to Voice For Us by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office




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