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CHRISTINE B. LALIBERTE sentenced in a hoarding case where twenty-five Great Danes were rescued

- Idaho, USA -


On May 16, 2023, Magistrate Judge Victoria Olds sentenced 82-years-old CHRISTINE B. LALIBERTE in relation to a hoarding case where twenty-five (25) Great Danes were rescued from her home in 2022 and cared for by the Idaho Animal Rescue Network.


LALIBERTE pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and was sentenced to 180 days in jail with 170 days suspended. LALIBERTE will also serve 10 days of community service in lieu of 10 days jail and 24 months of supervised probation. LALIBERTE won’t be allowed to have dogs during her brief probation and was ordered to pay $1,229.50 in fees and $500 restitution to the Idaho Animal Rescue Network.

According to Idaho State Journal, LALIBERTE was also ordered “to write apology letters to various groups, veterinarians, law enforcement and volunteers who assisted in the care of the Great Danes.”


On July 27, 2022, Idaho Animal Rescue Network was called to a property on 1963 Tammany Creek Road in Lewiston about a hoarding situation involving thirteen Great Danes. The dogs’ guardian, LALIBERTE’s daughter, had recently passed away.

IARN reported that the dogs were found to be living in filth inside a garage. The nonprofit also reported that the dogs had minor injuries, they were not vaccinated, they had not been spayed/neutered, and some female dogs were possibly pregnant.


The following day, volunteers along with the Nez Perce County Prosecutors Office assisted with removing thirteen Great Danes from the property. Officials made contact with LALIBERTE who decided to surrender her rights to them.

Big Country News reports that IARN Director Jenna Redheart had said: “The dogs are not out of trouble yet. We are combating heat exhaustion, medical issues, fleas, sores, ammonia exposure, and weight loss. They have a long road ahead of them, but I’m confident they will make a great recovery.”


On August 3, 2022, the Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at the Lewiston home and with the assistance of the Lewiston Fire Department, twelve more Great Danes were removed bringing the total number to twenty-five.

Some of the newly rescued dogs were taken to Riverview Animal Clinic and Southway Veterinary Clinic to treat their injuries.


In a press release of August 4, 2022, the Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office announced that LALIBERTE had been charged with twelve counts of animal cruelty.


According to Idaho State Journal, “One of the dogs, Andy, the ‘patriarch’ of the group, died of a medical issue shortly after being rescued.” Another Voiceless Victim, named Riley, died in February 2023.


As reported by Idaho State Journal, Judge Olds told LALIBERTE: “This state and this court has shown you more compassion than you showed those animals, but you also suffered, so I am taking that into account. Do not question that if you don’t comply for one second there won’t be consequences.”


Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.

Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.



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JACOB MELVIN MCCOWAN and JESSICA L. SMURTWAITE charged in abandoned and neglected Huskies case

- Idaho, USA -


Following the “appearance of numerous ‘husky’ type dogs,” the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation. In an initial news release, Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler said that “Many dogs have been found in many areas around Bonner County and neighboring counties that appear to have been abandoned and/or appear to be in visibly poor health.”


Sheriff Wheeler explained that all the dogs who were reported to the sheriff’s office, have been documented and placed at various shelters. Some of the furbabies are being cared for by private citizens.


In an update on the case, Sheriff Wheeler announced that the investigation led to charges being filed against 45-years-old JACOB MELVIN MCCOWAN, and 31-years-old JESSICA L. SMURTWAITE, of Utah. The pair were charged with thirty-one (31) counts of animal cruelty/abandonment of animals.


According to the release, so far, deputies have identified thirty-one dogs associated with this case but there still may be additional dogs who have not yet been captured.

“The identified dogs have received medical screenings & appear malnourished or in poor health,” stated the release.


Sheriff Wheeler expressed his gratitude to all the organizations and private citizens who stepped in to assist, including, the Kootenai Humane Society, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Division, the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office, the Northwoods Veterinary Clinic, and the Better Together Animal Alliance whose medical staff have provided medical exams and treatment “FREE of charge.”


Sheriff Wheeler advised that “For investigative and potential prosecutorial reasons, it is imperative that we be made aware of any other dogs of this nature that have been located and may be being cared for by citizens. We request that anyone who has one of these dogs in their possession and has not reported it, or who may have witnessed a person or vehicle ‘dumping’ these dogs, to contact Bonner County Dispatch at (208) 265-5525.

We are not seizing the dogs however we do need to photograph the dogs and document contact information for whoever is caring for the dog.”


KREM reports that out of the ten dogs placed in the care of Better Together Animal Alliance, four are well enough to finish healing in foster homes. On Wednesday, January 25, 2023, a foster family picked up from the shelter Sugar, a female Husky who is very special to the Better Together Animal Alliance because she was the first of the abused VOICELESS VICTIMS to arrive. Andrea Nagel told KREM that Sugar would have died if she hadn’t been rescued.

Ms. Nagel explained that the dogs will remain in their foster homes for two weeks before being adopted.


Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.

Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.






Cat who went missing in 2014 in California found in Idaho nine years later

- Idaho, USA -


On September 19, 2022, a couple of Good Samaritans found a cat on the side of the road and dropped her off at Kootenai Humane Society in Hayden.


Staff scanned the furbaby, a short-haired, tabby-colored domestic housecat, learned her name was Harriet, and shockingly discovered that Harriet’s guardian listed on the chip was in California.


The animal shelter called 57-years-old Susan Moore and told her they had her cat.


Mrs. Moore was understandably confused and did not immediately understand what was going on. She even told the caller they had the wrong number as there is no Hayden in California.

The caller then said she was calling from Idaho.


As the conversation unfolded, the mystery was gradually being solved and Mrs. Moore said: “I’d like to know how the heck that cat got all the way to Idaho.”


Mrs. Moore explained to the animal shelter staff that she lives on 41 acres outside of Sanger, California, and that she had adopted Harriet in 2010, to join her family and their dogs.

At the time Harriet was just a kitten and she was very sick. The shelter told her Harriet had feline leukemia and suggested that she choose another cat.


Mrs. Moore told them: “I don't want another cat.” So, she brought her furbaby home and took care of her. Mrs. Moore told USA Today that she raised Harriet in her office for the first month, then, she became healthy enough to be moved to the family’s ranch where she spent lots of time outdoors with her canine siblings. Harriet sadly went missing one night back in 2014.


Mrs. Moore and her husband, Brian Ellison, searched near their home, checked lost pet websites, contacted shelters, and registered with HomeAgain, a recovery service for lost pets.


Mr. Ellison hypothesized that a coyote had gotten Harriet. Mrs. Moore theorized that after Harriet wandered off, somebody picked her up in California, kept her as a pet and later moved to Idaho, where she wandered off again.


After recovering from the unbelievable news that Harriet was still alive, the next step was to get Harriet back home. Mrs. Moore asked her brother Steve Swarts who lives in Idaho if he would pick up Harriet from the shelter and fly her to California. At the same time, she realized that Harriet, now 13 years old, may not even remember her after being separated from her for so long.


According to The Washington Post, Ms. Maureen Wright, one of the shelter’s volunteers, saw Harriet waiting in a shelter cage and immediately wanted to bring her home.

With Mrs. Moore’s blessing, Maureen took home Harriet and renamed her Isis, after the Egyptian goddess.


Maureen lives on a mountain ridge in Hauser, where “she fosters older cats and dogs typically for the remainder of their lives”, reports The Washington Post.


Isis is now part of a new family in her new hopefully furever home with four elderly dogs and four outdoor foster cats who live in a heated catio.

Talking about Isis Maureen said: “She’s beautiful, regal, and just an absolute lover. So, she has a home with me for the rest of her life. She’s off the market.”


Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.

Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.






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