- Oklahoma, USA -
A female with a long history of animal cruelty, was charged by Garvin County prosecutors with ten counts of animal cruelty after authorities found in her home “several dogs of different breeds, birds, fish, a kinkajou, two sugar gliders, chickens and ‘various reptiles and amphibians’, reports News9.
The Lindsay Police Department along with its animal control department began investigating 49-years-old HEATHER SHAWNA SCYRKELS (pictured below) in June after receiving reports about neglected animals.
Garvin County District Attorney Greg Mashburn told News 9: “The unusual part about this case is the fact that there was such a variety of animals.” He explained that 174 animals were involved in this case.
According to court documents, officers reported finding animal feces, mold, and dirt inside the home. The poor animals were found in cages without food or water and appeared to be malnourished. One cat was found hooked up to a medical IV.
On Friday, October 29, a warrant was issued for SCYRKELS’ arrest. She turned herself in on Tuesday, November 2, and was booked into the Garvin County Jail. Online records show she is still in custody.
Lindsay Police are not commenting on the case because the investigation is ongoing.
The first time SCYRKELS faced animal cruelty charges was in 2012.
On July 28, 2012, Grady County Sheriff’s Deputy Clark Van Dyck investigated SCYRKELS’ property and discovered one dead and twenty-two live horses in extremely poor condition.
A warrant for SCYRKELS’ arrest was issued on August 10, 2012, and on that occasion also she turned herself in.
In 2016, SCYRKELS and her daughter HELENA SCYRKELS received felony charges of cruelty to animals after more than a hundred animals were seized from their Lindsay home.
Inside the home authorities found thirty cats and five dogs kept in small cages.
In a backyard pen investigator found twenty cats, five dogs, some rabbits, and a few other animals, including a hedgehog, kinkajou, and ferrets.
Sadly, one of the dogs was euthanized due to an infection.
Several cats were suffering from a respiratory condition with others unable to open their eyes. Ringworm was also a condition reported for many of the animals.
The VOICELESS VICTIMS were deprived of necessary food, drink, shelter, or veterinary care and the home was extremely dirty, disorderly, and unkempt.
DA Mashburn told reporter Barry Mangold with News9 that that case was dismissed as part of a plea negotiation.
DA Mashburn also told reporter Mangold: “Despite everyone’s best efforts to handle the issue then and make sure it never happens again, here we are. And so that will be something that we take into consideration when we figure out what to do with this case.”
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