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MONIQUE TOLBERT convicted of animal cruelty for starving and abusing her dog

- New Jersey, USA -

 

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office announced that on July 17, 2024, a jury found 35-year-old MONIQUE TOLBERT (pictured) guilty of third-degree animal cruelty.

 

On July 12, 2023, TOLBERT called the Atlantic City Police Department to surrender her dog named Handsome.

 

In the hallway of the apartment building where TOLBERT lived, responding officers found a dog without a collar. The poor soul was severely emaciated and dehydrated.

 

Officers learned that that dog was Handsome and that TOLBERT lived on the same floor where they found Handsome wandering around.

 

Police immediately took the furvictim to The Humane Society of Atlantic County to be examined and treated.

 

According to the press release by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, Handsome was “weighing less than half of the normal healthy weight of a dog similarly situated to him.”

 

Veterinarians said Handsome was very dehydrated and found his hair and skin suffering from urine scalding. Handsome was also found with several pressure point sores on his body.

 

About a month later, The Humane Society of Atlantic County posted a picture of Handsome showing how he looked after weeks of care. HSAC wrote: “…. he is back to normal weight and just loves life.”

 

I have emailed HSAC and requested information on Handsome’s current status. If I get a response, I will post an update.

 

TOLBERT’s sentencing has been scheduled for September 2024.

 

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the press release by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office. Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

 

 

TOLBERT’s mugshot shared from the press release by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office.




 
 
 

PENELOPE SMITH-BERK, kennel and animal rescue owner, arrested and charged with animal cruelty

- New York, USA -

 

The SPCA Westchester announced that their Humane Law Enforcement Unit (HLE), under the direction of Ernest Lungaro, arrested PENELOPE SMITH-BERK (pictured via Facebook), and charged her with five counts of animal cruelty.

 

BERK, founder of Rescue Right on 402 Old Post Road in Bedford and owner of Northwind Kennels in Bedford, was taken into custody on July 17, 2024, but the incident that ultimately led to her arrest dates back to October 2023.

 

In a press release, the SPCA Westchester said that on October 3, 2023, they were alerted “by several witnesses to a dire situation regarding 4 sick Bernese Mountain Dog puppies who were being denied proper medical care at Rescue Right in Northwind Kennels.”

 

The following day, HLE and state Health Department officials visited the kennel and discovered all four puppies, and their mom, Annabelle, were “suffering and in critical condition”, stated the release. The release goes on to say, “One of the puppies could barely breathe and was nonresponsive.”

 

Officials immediately rushed Annabelle and her babies to a private veterinary hospital where all five were diagnosed with Distemper Virus.


According to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s description, “Canine distemper is a contagious and serious disease caused by the canine distemper virus. The virus attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems of dogs.”

 

Sadly, mom and babies were all euthanized. One of the puppies was euthanized upon arrival at the hospital as he/she was “too far gone to be saved”, explained the SPCA Westchester.

Annabelle and her other three babies were euthanized days later “to prevent further suffering.”

 

As further explained by the SPCA Westchester, the disease “is highly preventable with proper vaccinations and timely medical care. If the dogs had not been denied veterinary treatment, their outcome could have been very different.”

 

According to the SPCA Westchester, Annabelle originated from an Amish Pennsylvania puppy mill and was brought to Rescue Right along with an unneutered male Bernese Mountain. Anabelle was not spayed and she was subsequently impregnated.

 

On July 18, 2024, SMITH-BERK appeared at Bedford Town Court and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

 

On Rescue Right’s Facebook page, a recent post read:

“To everyone who follows our rescue organization:

For months now, I have been the target of false and damaging rumors. These attacks have led to the filing of misdemeanor charges in Bedford Justice Court. I have pled not guilty and intend to vigorously contest these charges.  I have rescued, cared for, and adopted out thousands of animals over the years, making enormous personal sacrifices to do so.  To the many people who have reached out to me today, I'm grateful for your support.

I will not be commenting further.

Thank you.”

 

SMITH-BERK’s next court date is set for August 28, 2024.


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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from a press release by the SPCA Westchester. 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.

 




 

 

 
 
 

TOMMY DEAN DOUGLAS arrested after an iguana and thirty-three dogs removed from a home in Tate County

- Mississippi, USA -

 

On July 13, 2024, the Tate County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a home in the 2000 block of Prichard Road in Arkabutla as part of an ongoing animal cruelty investigation.

 

From the home, sheriff’s office officials removed a large iguana and thirty-three (33) dogs.

The dogs, most of them American and French Bulldogs were placed at the Senatobia-Tate County Animal Shelter and are being examined by veterinarians.

 

Tate County Sheriff Luke Shepherd told Action News 5, “Some of the dogs were severely malnourished and on the brink of death. It was a really sad situation.”

 

In connection with this case, deputies arrested TOMMY DEAN DOUGLAS (pictured), also known as Tommy Real Dogman Douglas on Facebook.

 

Sheriff Shepherd explained that DOUGLAS promised to train or breed the dogs and that he used social media to find customers. According to investigators, some of the dogs “belong to out-of-state owners.”

 

Detective Riley Cole said: “The suspect would come to their homes and bring their dogs back here, but those owners were not aware of the conditions they were in. They thought they were doing good for their animal in the dog community, and that was not the case.”

 

DOUGLAS was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, simple assault on a law enforcement officer, and disorderly conduct – disobeying a lawful order. He punched one of the deputies in the face during his arrest.

DOUGLAS is being held at the Tate County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

 

On Monday, the Senatobia-Tate County Animal Shelter issued an emergency alert on their Facebook page saying the shelter is currently unable to accept dogs due to the influx of animals. If you wish to help the shelter face this hardship, please click here. Thank you!

  

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from Action News 5. 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.





 
 
 

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