Woman Convicted of Cruelty to 230 Dogs

reuters ^ | Wed Mar 17, 2004

[hookman]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A 72-year-old woman collapsed in court on Tuesday after a jury convicted her of animal cruelty toward more than 230 Chihuahuas and 60 birds she kept in squalor at her southern California home.

Emma Regina Harter, who was also convicted of lesser charges of battery on an animal control officer, unsanitary conditions and failure to isolate sick animals, was treated in the courtroom by paramedics and released, prosecutors said.

She was ordered to return to court on Friday, when she faces a possible sentence of five years in prison.

Authorities raided Harter's home, which was caked in layers of fecal matter and where Chihuahuas were living in the walls, in November and seized the animals.

Many of the diminutive dogs died due to illness after they were taken from Harter's home and others were found too dangerous for adoption. But after the story became national news animal activists convinced a judge to spare about 150 of the animals from being put to death.

[hookman]

fair?

[SAR_dude]

I think a suspended sentence and an order limiting the number of ankle biters she may have in the future is appropriate. The felony on her record will probably kill the poor woman.

[moyden2000]

5 years at that age could be a life sentence. All over a bunch of idiotic dogs. Fine her and let her go home. Human life comes first.

[SAR_dude]

A suspended sentence would let her go home without a fine. The order limiting the number of pets would prevent her from filling up the house with dogs again, but there would have to be some followup to be sure she is honoring the order.

Then again, the judge could be one of those liberals who considers animal life more important.

[isom35]

230! oh come on. I could believe 147, but 230? I mean really...

[spetznaz]

Human life comes first.

Well, human life comes first. No problem with that. None at all.

However that does not mean she has the carte blanche right to go subject the poor creatures to such atrocious conditions. No matter how valuable human life is does not mean someone can just go subjecting animals to such horrid conditions. Hey, if you want to hunt hunt. Don't shoot the deer in the leg and walk away because it is just an animal. If you want to eat beef go grab yourself a cow. However don't go cut out its tongue and walk away because it is 'only' an animal.

This is really not a human life vs animal life issue, it is about some lady who for whatever reasons were spinning in her head was subjecting the animals to hell on earth. This is not some Lefto-whacko enviro-terrorist do-away-with-technology issue. It is simply about some callous person and tortured animals. Personally i think she needs to go for a mental checkup more than she needs a fine ....anyone living with over 200 dogs, some living in her walls, a flock of birds flitting around, and layers of fecal matter in her domain is evidently in need of psychiatric care. Due to her age i think they should probably ensure her last years on eart are spent in a good environment (again her home conditions show she is not all fine in the ol'skull compartment).

[SAR_dude]

Thankfully they got to her before she keeled over. Can you imagine 230 hungry chihuahuas swarming her like a school of pirrhanas?

I'm sure the judge will do what's best for her. (No jail time, but permanent case-worker supervision, mental evaluation and treatment, etc.)

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

It sounds like that may be a good thing.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Does being born a human being make one a human? Is Charles Manson a human? I'm glad the old nut is being taken care of.

[txdoda]

I think a suspended sentence and an order limiting the number of ankle biters she may have in the future is appropriate.>>>>>>


At her age, I agree with a suspended sentence, however this woman obviously also needs some psychiatric help, & NO PETS whatsoever.

No person or animal should be living in a home "caked in layers of fecal matter."

[moyden2000]

They are talking prison time for a disturbed and very old woman over a bunch of dogs.

That is sick, no matter how you slice it. The life of an old woman is worth more than any number of dogs.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I disagree. She may be mentally ill, though I don't remember that being mentioned in the article. If she is not mentally ill (sounds like she is), she should serve jail time.

[ecurbh]

Ping.

[HairOfTheDog]

I am sure the conditions were deplorable, but I don't want to sick old lonely women.

[HairOfTheDog]

Err.... I am sure the conditions were deplorable, but I don't want to punish sick old lonely women.

More coffee needed.

[HairOfTheDog]

They are talking prison time for a disturbed and very old woman over a bunch of dogs.

In truth, they are just trying to use a big enough hammer to get her attention. If this is like many 'animal collector' cases, this is not the first contact with this woman. I am sure that she has been in off and on contact with Animal Cruely prevention people who have tried to work with her, tried to get her to give away some of the dogs and clean up, and she told them all to bugger off. Paper enforcement only works if the receiver is listening.

She probably started out loving the animals, and is not right enough in the head to know that she can't handle what she took on.

I also think bacause they are all chihuahua they must not all be rescues off the street, she's allowing them to breed there. That will spiral out of control in a hurry.

She is a lonely old woman, and I hope she can be helped to clean up, trim down to a dog or two for company, and find peace. I don't see her doing jail time, they just needed her attention.