top of page

ALL POSTS

Search
Writer's picturevoiceforus
Aug 172 min read

REWARD offered for information on the monster(s) who abandoned 3 kittens in a trash compactor

- Virginia, USA -

 

The Animal Legal Defense Fund, an American legal advocacy organization for animals, is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the monster(s) who abandoned three helpless kittens.

 

In a press release the organization said that the furvictims were left to die in a trash compactor near the Darlington Heights convenience site in Prince Edward County. On the morning of May 23, 2024, a local attendant heard the only surviving kitten meowing and found her “clinging to life” in an orange plastic bag where her siblings were sadly discovered lifeless.

 

In a Facebook post, Prince Edward County Animal Care and Control said: “If it weren’t for the attendant at the site who heard meowing coming from the compactor, then all would have perished.”

 

The kitten, named Zoey, was bathed and brought to a local veterinarian for examination. According to the Animal Legal Defense Fund, she “has been adopted into a loving home, and is doing very well.”

 

Animal Legal Defense Fund Managing Attorney David B. Rosengard said: “Abandoning kittens in a trash compactor not only leaves them to die a painful death, but is also a criminal violation of Virgina’s cruelty code. We are hopeful that members of the community are able to come forward with information that will lead to justice for these animals and prevent similar actions in the future.”

 

Prince Edward County Animal Control and the Prince Edward County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the incident and are reaching out to the public to come forward with information that can identify the heartless and soulless individual(s) responsible for this heinous crime.

 

Prince Edward County’s Chief Animal Control Officer Adam Mumma said: “We are beyond grateful for the support of the Animal League Defense Fund for posting a reward for this heinous crime that occurred in our community. The County is committed to bringing this individual to justice. We urge anyone with information to please contact Prince Edward County Animal Control at 434-223-7310.”

 

If you know who did it, do the right thing and speak up or you are just as guilty!

 

The names of the deceased furvictims were not disclosed, so I took the liberty of naming them Cherry and Kiwi for the tribute image. Should their given names be made public, I will rectify them accordingly.

 

 # # #

 

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

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

 




 

22 views1 comment
Writer's picturevoiceforus
Jun 233 min read

ASHLEIGH MARIE HUTTON and JAMES DONALD LIPSCOMB found not guilty –Two dogs left in hot car, one died

Updated: Oct 20

- Virginia, USA -

 

Animals get abandoned, starved to death, dragged behind vehicles, left in hot cars, drowned alive, buried alive, used in fights, left tethered in cold and hot weather, confined in cages covered in their own urine and feces, burned, shot, punched, stabbed, kicked, set on fire, put in ovens, put in dryers, raped, thrown out of vehicles, left in freezing cold vehicles, mistreated on farms, neglected in zoos, forced to perform in circuses and theme parks, illegally hunted in front of their moms and siblings resulting in families being separated, and much more.

 

Too often when an animal cruelty case is presented before a judge, the abuser is not punished severely enough or they are not punished at all. In many cases, we know all too well, they abuse again.

 

This is one of the cases where the precious life of an innocent dog meant absolutely nothing to the ones whose responsibility was the dog’s wellbeing, and to the ONE who had the power to teach the abusers a lesson!

 

On the early afternoon of June 25, 2023, the Roanoke Police Department received reports about two dogs locked inside a parked vehicle in the 100 block of Luck Avenue SW.

 

Responding officers immediately started working to open the vehicle to attend to the dogs as one of them appeared to be unresponsive.

 

When eventually ASHLEIGH MARIE HUTTON and JAMES DONALD LIPSCOMB (both pictured) arrived at the scene, an officer was finally able to enter the vehicle.

 

One of the two dogs, a Bulldog named Meech, was alert. Sadly, the other dog, a bulldog named Cookie, was dead. Cookie was taken to the Roanoke Police Department as evidence and HUTTON and LIPSCOMB were arrested.

 

The pair were charged with one misdemeanor animal cruelty charge for leaving Meech in a locked car unattended on a hot day, and one felony count of animal cruelty for Cookie’s death.

 

According to 10 News, officers were sent to the couple’s home and removed two more of their dogs. The news outlet further reports that “RPD Animal Wardens then filed a petition for custody on all the remaining animals.”

 

Let’s fast forward to June 17, 2024, when HUTTON and LIPSCOMB were found not guilty in a bench trial.

 

WDBJ reports that during the trial, Commonwealth’s Attorney Joshua Dietz argued HUTTON and LIPSCOMB “willingly subjected the animals to abuse by leaving them in the car for nearly 40 minutes while they ate lunch at Texas Tavern…”

 

One of the responding officers, officer Gardner, testified he immediately noticed both dogs panting in the vehicle. As reported by WDBJ, “Body cam footage reveals Officer Gardner putting his hand in the car and saying, ‘It’s hot in here’.”

 

The veterinarian who performed the necropsy on Cookie testified she died from heatstroke.

 

During closing statements, Commonwealth’s Attorney Joshua Dietz highlighted the timeline of events leading to Cookie’s death and argued HUTTON and LIPSCOMB willingly inflicted pain on the dogs by leaving them for so long. He rightfully said: “they should have known better.”

 

After over three hours of testimony, judge John Cristopher Clemens questioned the judgment of HUTTON and LIPSCOMB and said, “Why would you leave your dogs in the car at all? . . . It just makes no sense if you care about your animals.” And yet, he dismissed the case on the grounds of the Commonwealth lacking enough evidence to prove animal cruelty beyond a reasonable doubt for both charges.


# # #

 

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

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

 


Sources:




34 views0 comments
Writer's picturevoiceforus
May 133 min read

CASSIDY GILL, former employee of Hollywood Pets, arrested after video showed her abusing dogs

Updated: Oct 20

- Virginia, USA -

 

The Danville Police Department announced the arrest of 22-year-old CASSIDY GILL (pictured), of Roxboro, North Carolina.

 

The arrest follows a distressing video that was recorded by a former employee of Hollywood Pets on Hairston Street in Danville and showed GILL, who was also employed at Hollywood Pets, hitting dogs and cursing at them.

 

In a media release, police said that the incidents took place in January and February 2024, but they became aware of them on May 9, 2024, leading Animal Control to launch an investigation.

 

The owner of Hollywood Pets, Derek Holley, wrote in a Facebook post:

“Dear Customers,

In light of recent videos being circulated on social media I would like to shed some insight to best of my ability and be as transparent as possible.

I received the videos on Friday, April 26th from PETA. After reviewing them I spoke with the employee involved first thing on her next scheduled work day Monday April 29th. At this time her employment was terminated immediately !  Apparently the videos had been recorded some time ago but were not presented to me when the incidents occurred. Only after our previous groomer ( who captured the videos  )  was terminated on April 15th  did she decide it was in her best interest to release them to PETA. The withholding of evidence of inexcusable behavior by a fellow employee to me is almost as reprehensible as the act itself.  In addition, the installment of video surveillance cameras has been scheduled which will provide me with constant monitoring of all grooming activities in the future. 

We deeply regret any of this occurred and I assure you these were isolated incidents . We have served Danville and the surrounding areas for 16 years and our reputation is excellent. I have spoken with numerous customers about the situation and they have been very supportive. For this we thank you ! 

In conclusion , I stand by and have full trust in the current staff here at Hollywood Pets , especially our new groomer Sydney Bayless, who started on April 29th ! I am available to try and answer any and all questions for our current customers regarding my handling of these events.”

 

ABC13 interviewed the former employee who recorded GILL abusing and mistreating the defenseless dogs. She explained that she told the owner several times that she saw employees abusing dogs and that she recorded the videos to have concrete proof.

 

She told ABC13: “Whether it was the owner of Hollywood Pets or anyone else to show that I was telling the truth and I was witnessing animal abuse.” She also said: “He was aware of three cases that I brought to his attention that staff were hitting dogs. He only fired the one staff member (Gill) after PETA reached out to him with the videos.”

 

According to ABC13, the former employee was fired from Hollywood Pets on April 15, 2024, and reports: “She says by speaking out, that she's just trying to do the right thing.”

 

On May 10, 2024, Animal Control and detectives from the Criminal Investigations Unit arrested GILL and charged her with animal cruelty. Police say no other criminal charges are expected.

  

# # #

 

Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the press release by the Danville Police Department. 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.

 

 

GILL’s mugshot shared from the Danville Police Department.




47 views1 comment

Subscribe Form

bottom of page