- Wyoming, USA -
UPDATE: September 17, 2021
On Monday, September 13, ROY CASTRUN BURNETT JR. (pictured below), who “knowingly and continuously failed to provide adequate food and water for his dogs”, was acquitted of all charges following a single-day bench trial in Laramie County District Court.
Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports that Sue Castaneda, CEO of Cheyenne Animal Shelter, said she was surprised by the verdict, and said it was “disappointing” that BURNETT could be acquitted because his intent to starve the dogs couldn’t be proven.
Wyoming Tribune Eagle further reports: “Castaneda said she believed the prosecution might have had a stronger case if more than one animal control officer had testified at the trial. However, because of recent upheaval at the shelter, most have recently taken other jobs and weren’t able to testify.”
Ms. Castaneda then added: “I think part of it lays on us.”
UPDATE: May 6, 2021
On the afternoon of Monday, May 10, ROY CASTRUN BURNETT JR. (pictured below) will undergo an outpatient evaluation in Laramie District Court, as requested by his attorney, Ross McKelvey.
According to The Health Press Daily, Assistant District Attorney Rachel Berkness had no objection to the request, and the assessment was ordered by Laramie County District Judge Thomas Campbell.
WyomingTribuneEagle reports that the order removes BURNETT’s case from the court’s trial schedule and postpones it indefinitely until a report is completed by a designated medical expert.
UPDATE: December 19, 2020
News Break reports that BURNETT JR. appeared for the first time in Laramie County District Court on Monday. December 14.
Authorities say BURNETT JR. “knowingly and continuously failed to provide adequate food and water for his dogs.”
BURNETT JR. pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals-undue suffering.
~ Original story:
Authorities say that 37-year old ROY BURNETT JR. (pictured below), “ knowingly and continuously failed to provide adequate food and water for his dogs.”
On October 10, 2020, Cheyenne Animal Control (CAC) officers were dispatched to a home in 316 Central Avenue area where they found two dogs, a female named Karma, and a male named Kru, with no food or water.
As the picture below shows, the poor souls were severely emaciated.
Officers said the furbabies were only hours away from death.
Karma and Kru were removed and placed in the care of the in-house medical team at the Cheyenne Animal Shelter and doctors were able to stabilize them.
Veterinarians said that each dog weighed at least 20 pounds under their ideal weight based on their size and breed.
Records from the Cheyenne Animal Shelter show that both dogs had a history of being picked up for “being at large” violations multiple times over the past year,
Officers interviewed neighbors who said that BURNETT was living there, but they had not seen him in three or four weeks.
All attempts by animal control and police to reach BURNETT JR. on his cell phone were unsuccessful.
As we have seen in previous cases, when this happens, law enforcement determined that “exigent circumstances existed to gain entry” into the property where the dogs were.
Oil City News reports that the Cheyenne Fire Department was called in and used a mechanical apparatus to expand the door frames so that police could get into the residence.
Authorities eventually made contact with BURNETT JR. on October 16, at a different home.
Animal Control asked BURNETT JR. who was taking care of his dogs, and BURNETT said someone by the name of “India.”
However, when investigators asked BURNETT JR. where they could find India to ask why they did not feed the dogs, BURNETT JR. was unable to provide authorities with India’s last name or their phone number.
Then, animal control officers asked BURNETT JR. how he paid India to look after the dogs.
BURNETT JR. said he wrote a check but court documents state that BURNETT JR. could not give any information to substantiate that claim.
When he was questioned about the dogs, he said: “I think somebody tried to poison my dogs. I saw them two weeks ago and they did not look like that.”
BURNETT JR. lied about that too, in fact, the medical examiner stated in the affidavit that “The fact that these dogs are responding so well to treating the initial dehydration, providing food, and basic veterinary care strongly indicates that toxins are an unlikely contributor to these dog’s poor body conditions.”
Therefore, investigators concluded that “Based upon the foregoing fact, there is probable cause to believe that the defendant, Roy Burnett, knowingly and with intent continuously failed to provide adequate food and water to his dogs.”
Laramie County Circuit Court records say ROY CASTRUN BURNETT JR. was arrested on Monday, November 9, on two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals.
If convicted on both counts, BURNETT JR. could face up to only 4 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
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