~ Update: February 17, 2024
On Friday, February 18, 2024, the Gautier Police Department arrested 36-years-old NICHOLE ANN ANDERSON (pictured), owner of Sandi’s Pet Grooming Too in Gautier.
According to WLOX, officers have identified five animal victims leading to charging ANDERSON with animal cruelty.
Additionally, police said that ANDERSON was running Sandi’s Pet Grooming Too without a license, so she was also charged with false pretense.
After warrants were issued for her arrest, ANDERSON turned herself in and at time of writing, online records show that she is being held into the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office without bond.
ANDERSON’s mugshot shared from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.
The Gautier Police Department said in a press release that on the afternoon of Tuesday, January 30, 2024, officers responded to Sandi’s Pet Grooming Too following a Crime Stoppers tip “of alleged animal abuse, neglect, and illegal boarding” at the business.
Two days later, an investigation by Gautier Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division and Animal Control Officer, Gautier Code Enforcement, and a representative of the Jackson County Animal Shelter required Sandi’s Pet Grooming Too “to cease all business operations due to multiple City code violations”, stated the release.
In an interview with WLOX, lead detective Lauren Etheridge explained: “There were wires, low-hanging wires, A/C ducts wide open. There was no heating. There was no insulation for the dogs. And just, animal feces everywhere.”
Detective Etheridge also said that over the last eight months, about five people claimed they never got their furbabies back. “They were told that their animal ran away, or another big one was that it was attacked by another dog”, she said.
According to police, one subject was placed under arrest on the scene “for unrelated outstanding warrants.”
On Sandi’s Pet Grooming Too’s Facebook page, a post published by Nikki Anderson read in part: “Good afternoon, I am Nikki Anderson sole owner of Sandi’s Pet Grooming Too in Gautier. I would like start of with saying thank for all the support I have received from my clients, community and staff. This experience/situation has to be addressed, so with that being said. This is the reason my shop had to close, if you will look and read the below the letter that we received from the fire department upon the investigation that took place on Thursday, February 1,2024. We are vigorously working to make repairs , so we may reopen to normal business hours. As for the investigation of alleged animal cruelty, In which I was not found guilty of, nor were any charges pressed against me, and I was released from the Gautier police departments custody with no pending charges. I have always strived to love each and every one of my fur babies that comes through my doors. In all transparency and honesty, yes they did arrest me for old traffic tickets from 2014 and released from me custody for those past tickets. I will have to go to court and pay the ticket.”
Police said the incident is still under investigation and WLOX advised that “Customers are invited to share their testimony with the Gautier Police Department.”
If anyone has information about this incident, please contact the Criminal Investigations Division at (228) - 497 - 2486 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 1 - 877 - 787 - 5898. Thank you!
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Please note that details may be removed or new information added should such sources report an update.
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.
