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RONDA LYNN MURPHY, of Helping Hands for Furry Paws, pleaded not guilty to 23 animal cruelty charges

Updated: Apr 11, 2024

- Ohio, USA -


~ Update: April 11, 2024

 

On Monday, April 8, 2024, Butler County Common Pleas Judge Noah Powers II sentenced 61-years-old RONDA LYNN MURPHY (pictured), who ran a rescue called “Helping Hands for Furry Paws,” in an animal cruelty case that began in Summer 2023. More than ninety (90) dogs were removed from her property and thirty (30) dogs were sadly found deceased.

 

Judge Powers sentenced MURPHY to fifty-four (54) months in prison and ordered her to pay $16,221 to the nonprofit animal shelter Animal Friends Humane Society. The money is to reimburse the shelter for the cost of caring for those dogs during the week it took for MURPHY to relinquish her rights to the animals.

 

Additionally, Judge Powers ordered MURPHY be indefinitely barred from keeping any companion animals after she is released from prison.

 

In October 2023, MURPHY had been indicted on sixteen (16) fifth-degree felony counts of cruelty to companion animals and seven misdemeanors of the same charge.

 

In January 2024, MURPHY pleaded guilty to twelve (12) counts, eight (8) of which were felonies, and the remaining counts were dismissed.


 

~ Original story:


On Tuesday, October 24, 2023, 60-years-old RONDA LYNN MURPHY (pictured), was in Butler County Common Pleas Court. She pleaded not guilty to twenty-three (23) counts of animal cruelty.


It all started on July 27, 2023, when deputies with the Butler County Sheriff’s Office and Deputy Dog Wardens responded to MURPHY’s home on Mosiman Road in Madison Township to check on the welfare of dogs living there.


In a media release of August 2, 2023, Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones said that an investigation revealed that several dogs “were being housed in various structures on two Madison Township properties owned by Murphy.”


Officials conducted searches at both properties, at Mosiman Road and Eck Road, and found the animals in “the most horrible conditions ever seen”, stated the release.


In a garage, authorities found dogs in cages with no ventilation or air conditioning, and the inside temperature hitting almost 90 degrees. Many dogs were housed together in cages filled with urine, fecal matter, with no food or water. Other cages contained mothers and newborn puppies.


Sadly, about thirty (30) deceased dogs were discovered inside refrigerators and freezers “and other locations on the properties in varying states of decomposition.”


According to the release, Deputy Dog Wardens described the conditions of the main house as “unlivable”. The odor emanating from the property was so strong that it was burning the officials’ eyes.

More than eighty (80) living dogs and puppies were removed and placed in the care of Animal Friends Humane Society.


The Butler County Sheriff’s Office arrested MURPHY on August 2, 2023. She was initially charged with two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to a companion animal and one felony count of cruelty to a companion animal. Back then, Sheriff Jones said that as this investigation continued to unfold, more charges could be filed.


On October 11, 2023, a Butler County grand jury indicted MURPHY on seven (7) misdemeanor counts of cruelty to companion animals, and sixteen (16) felony counts of cruelty to companion animals.


Court records show that MURPHY is scheduled to be back at Butler County Common Pleas Court on November 21, 2023, at 8:30 a.m.


At the time of the arrest, MURPHY was the operator of Helping Hands for Furry Paws animal rescue out of the Mosiman Road property.


WKRC reports that between February 2020 and July 2023, Dog Wardens visited MURPHY’s two properties forty-two (42) times.

The news outlet further reports that for years, people had reported MURPHY’s “dogs were living in dirty conditions”, but when Dog Wardens went to do welfare checks, the dogs shown to them, appeared to be fine.


In May 2021, Dog Wardens had to leave two notices at MURPHY’s home before they were allowed to do a welfare check; In October 2021, they had to leave three notices, and in 2022, they had to wait a whole month before they could finally meet with MURPHY in June.


During the June 2022 visit, Dog Wardens noted that three of MURPHY’s dogs “appeared thin and were suffering from hair loss”, reports WKRC.

Dog Wardens then made a surprise visit in July 2022, and on that occasion, they said MURPHY showed them twenty-seven (27) dogs. Dog Wardens reported “a foul-smelling driveway with pallets of rotting dog food and ‘sticky, dirty floors,’ but said the cages were clean and the dogs appeared healthy.”


In 2023, Dog Wardens visited MURPHY’s home sixteen (16) times prior to the final visit on July 27.


Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.

Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.



MURPHY’s mugshot shared from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.


Additional Sources:



 
 
 

CHRISTINE B. LALIBERTE sentenced in a hoarding case where twenty-five Great Danes were rescued

- Idaho, USA -


On May 16, 2023, Magistrate Judge Victoria Olds sentenced 82-years-old CHRISTINE B. LALIBERTE in relation to a hoarding case where twenty-five (25) Great Danes were rescued from her home in 2022 and cared for by the Idaho Animal Rescue Network.


LALIBERTE pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and was sentenced to 180 days in jail with 170 days suspended. LALIBERTE will also serve 10 days of community service in lieu of 10 days jail and 24 months of supervised probation. LALIBERTE won’t be allowed to have dogs during her brief probation and was ordered to pay $1,229.50 in fees and $500 restitution to the Idaho Animal Rescue Network.

According to Idaho State Journal, LALIBERTE was also ordered “to write apology letters to various groups, veterinarians, law enforcement and volunteers who assisted in the care of the Great Danes.”


On July 27, 2022, Idaho Animal Rescue Network was called to a property on 1963 Tammany Creek Road in Lewiston about a hoarding situation involving thirteen Great Danes. The dogs’ guardian, LALIBERTE’s daughter, had recently passed away.

IARN reported that the dogs were found to be living in filth inside a garage. The nonprofit also reported that the dogs had minor injuries, they were not vaccinated, they had not been spayed/neutered, and some female dogs were possibly pregnant.


The following day, volunteers along with the Nez Perce County Prosecutors Office assisted with removing thirteen Great Danes from the property. Officials made contact with LALIBERTE who decided to surrender her rights to them.

Big Country News reports that IARN Director Jenna Redheart had said: “The dogs are not out of trouble yet. We are combating heat exhaustion, medical issues, fleas, sores, ammonia exposure, and weight loss. They have a long road ahead of them, but I’m confident they will make a great recovery.”


On August 3, 2022, the Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at the Lewiston home and with the assistance of the Lewiston Fire Department, twelve more Great Danes were removed bringing the total number to twenty-five.

Some of the newly rescued dogs were taken to Riverview Animal Clinic and Southway Veterinary Clinic to treat their injuries.


In a press release of August 4, 2022, the Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office announced that LALIBERTE had been charged with twelve counts of animal cruelty.


According to Idaho State Journal, “One of the dogs, Andy, the ‘patriarch’ of the group, died of a medical issue shortly after being rescued.” Another Voiceless Victim, named Riley, died in February 2023.


As reported by Idaho State Journal, Judge Olds told LALIBERTE: “This state and this court has shown you more compassion than you showed those animals, but you also suffered, so I am taking that into account. Do not question that if you don’t comply for one second there won’t be consequences.”


Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.

Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.



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ARIN ALEXANDER BRIGHT sentenced to five years in prison for torturing a defenseless puppy

- Texas, USA -


On Thursday, April 27, 2023, 24-years-old ARIN ALEXANDER BRIGHT (pictured), “was convicted and sentenced by a jury to five years in prison for cruelty to an animal”, announced the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office the following day.


In July 2022, BRIGHT slammed a defenseless puppy on the ground and hung her by her neck with a leash.

The furbaby, named Mara, thankfully survived the torture inflicted upon her and according to the Keller Police Department, Mara is now a therapy dog for children with special needs. Mara helps them improve socialization and confidence.


According to an affidavit obtained by Voice For Us, at about midnight on July 10, 2022, the Keller Police Department received a report about a male throwing things at a medium-sized dog.


Keller PD Sgt. Carothers responded to the scene and met with Keller PD Sgt. Clark who was off duty.


Sgt. Clark told Sgt. Carothers that he was in the parking lot of the apartments on 501 Bourland Road when he heard shouting and a dog yelping coming from the Keller Library.

Sgt. Clark stated from a distance he could see a shirtless male, (later identified as BRIGHT), “picking up a medium sized object and slam it down” on car and simultaneously, he heard what he believed to be a dog screaming.

Sgt. Clark began walking that direction to investigate and as he got closer, he saw BRIGHT “pick up a dog over his head and slam it to the ground” causing the furbaby to scream as she hit the ground.

Sgt. Clark also saw BRIGHT lift Mara off the ground using only the leash around her neck. BRIGHT then proceeded to take Mara into the adjacent playground area where he “strung the leash over the monkey bars and the dog was hanging by only the leash.”

Sgt. Clark then confronted BRIGHT at which point he let the furbaby down and walked to his car.

According to the affidavit, when Sgt. Carothers arrived, he found “a brown and white 'smaller' medium sized dog laying under a set of monkey bars.”

Mara was panting and there was blood on top of her right front paw. Both her back paws were bloody and the nails had been ripped out.


Sgt. Carothers reported that the leash around Mara's neck was tied so tightly that he could not even get his finger in between the leash and Mara's neck.


Animal Control Officer Riddle also responded to the scene and took Mara to the Grapevine Animal Emergency Hospital. A physical evaluation on Mara determined that the Voiceless Victim appeared to have scaring from prior injuries.


BRIGHT was arrested and charged with cruelty to non-livestock animals, “because he intentionally, knowingly or recklessly tortured an animal causing unjustifiable pain or suffering.”


Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.

Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.



BRIGHT’s mugshot was shared from Tarrant County Jail.


Mara’s pictures were shared provided to Voice For Us by the Keller Police Department.


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