An incident that happened back in July 2023, led to the recent arrests of 26-year-old KYLA LANE RIVARD and 45-year-old HEATHER LYNN DRASS (both pictured).
According to the affidavit, on July 11, 2023, Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) received a call from an anonymous person about three abandoned dogs at a residence on 230 East Silver Star Road in Ocoee. The caller also stated that one of the dogs may be dead and that no one else wanted to call because they feared RIVARD and DRASS. The caller went on to say that Senior Animal Services Officer (SASO) Duncan advised the caller that five days prior, Animal Services had been at the residence and officers did not see any dogs in distress or neglected.
The caller then stated that there may be twenty more dogs inside the residence with no food or water and some dogs were in the yard in large kennels.
The following day, on July 12, 2024, Animal Services Officer Espinosa went to the residence in question and saw thirteen dogs outside in kennels and an RV trailer that had dogs barking inside. ASO Espinosa knocked but no one responded.
Later on that day, a different Animal Services Officer, ASO Duggins, went to the property and his attempts to call DRASS, one of the owners, were unsuccessful. He was unable to leave a message on DRASS’ voicemail.
On July 13, 2024, ASO Espinosa returned to the residence accompanied by SASO McCracken and they noticed that the trailer was emanating “a strong smell of urine and feces.” The officers also heard dogs barking inside.
According to the affidavit, “There was an extension cord running through one of the windows near the door and SASO McCracken and ASO Espinosa were able to view through the crack in the window. SASO McCracken saw dog crates stacked on top of one another standing in their own urine and feces. There was no fresh water or food available for the animals, along with no fresh air or ability to get any exercise." SASO McCracken walked to an area where tents were set up and again called out with no response.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office was contacted and deputies responded to assist.
Meanwhile, SASO McCracken tried to call RIVARD and DRASS on their phones with no luck.
The trailer had an unlocked door so the officers entered and found eighteen dogs inside. The affidavit stated that the dogs were “observed to be in filthy conditions without access to clean fresh drinking water or food. The dogs were housed in wire cages stacked two and three high allowing urine and feces to fall into the bottom row of cages.”
There was trash all over the floor and that made it difficult for the officers to walk freely and inspect the trailer.
Given the condition of the dogs and the fact that officers were unable to contact RIVARD and DRASS, it was decided to remove the dogs for an animal cruelty investigation.
As officials began to remove the dogs, SASA McCracken heard “a dog jumping and barking from inside a closed shower stall that was blocked with a plastic dog food bin filled with dirt.” When SASO McCracken opened the door to the shower, he found two dogs. Sadly, one of the two dogs, a male Chihuahua mix, was deceased. The deceased furvictim was sent to the University of Florida for a necropsy.
At some point, a woman arrived at the scene and told officers that she was a friend of RIVARD’s. The woman stated that in the past, she had donated dog food to RIVARD and added that RIVARD was rescuing dogs.
SASO McCracken later met with RIVARD’s grandmother whom I will refer to as McK.
McK told officers that she was the owner of the property and that she had not been there for a while. She also told officers that there were no dogs inside the home and gave them consent to check.
Inside the home in one of the bedrooms officers found a bearded dragon inside a glass terrarium.
Officers then removed the bearded dragon along with the thirteen dogs who were inside the outside kennels.
SASO McCracken received a call from Animal Services who advised that the deceased furvictim tested positive for Parvovirus along with four other puppies. Sadly, one of those four puppies passed away upon arrival and was sent to the University of Florida for a necropsy. The other three puppies were released to RIVARD’s mother, Ms. Miles, who was instructed to seek immediate veterinary care.
According to the affidavit, Ms. Miles took the three puppies to Oakland Veterinary Emergency Clinic and “declined treatment due to the high cost.” She then took the three puppies to Oviedo Emergency Veterinary Clinic. There, she surrendered one of the puppies to Dr. Carlson for continued care, and she was strongly advised to hospitalize the other two puppies so that they could receive fluids, anti-nausea medication, and antibiotics. Ms. Miles declined the medications due to the high cost and was only given the antibiotics.
Ms. Miles took the two puppies and went back home. She called Animal Services and asked whether Parvovirus could be treated at home since it was caught early. She said she was “not prepared to pay thousands of dollars in fees for hospitalization and did not realize that they would need it.” Ms. Miles went on to say that she did not want to be responsible or be contacted for anymore of the “dog business”. Ms. Miles stated that she had never been involved with the dogs before, that the dogs were solely her daughter’s concern and that she only stepped up to prevent euthanasia.
RIVARD and DRASS were charged with five counts of aggravated animal cruelty, twenty counts of animal cruelty, and twenty counts of confinement of animals without sufficient food, water, or exercise; abandonment of animals.
DRASS was arrested on November 11, 2024, and she will be arraigned on January 8, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.
RIVARD was placed under arrest on December 18, 2024, and online records show she was released from the Orange County Jail.
Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the affidavit obtained by Voice For Us. 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.
RIVARD’s mugshot provided to Voice For Us by the Orange County Sheriff's Office
DRASS’ mugshot provided to Voice For Us by the Lake County Sheriff's Office
