Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Lincoln Woman Faces Animal Cruelty Charges
LINCOLN — A Lincoln woman faces eight counts of felony animal cruelty charges and 62 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty charges after the Washington County Sheriff’s Office seized more than 65 dogs from her property last week.
Debbie Cain, 62, was taken into custody June 13 as the Sheriff’s Office, assisted by other area agencies, rescued 67 dogs, eight goats, one pony and one rabbit from Cain’s residence at 120 S. Highway 45, just past the U.S. 62 intersection going toward Cane Hill.
Working in 90-degree weather and wearing masks because of the strong smell from all the dogs, law enforcement officers, animal control officers and representatives with Animal League of Washington
County brought the dogs to one point, where they were photographed, tagged with collars and logged in with corresponding numbers. The dogs were placed into vehicles to be taken to various veterinary offices for checkups and treatment.
Cpl. Lori Hodges, who is supervisor of the county’s animal control, said the Sheriff’s Office has received complaints about the property. Hodges conducted a conditions check two days earlier and said the animals were living in “very poor conditions” and the office decided to act on the information.
A warrant was issued Wednesday to seize the animals. Other agencies that helped included four officers from Prairie Grove Police Department, Lincoln’s animal control officer and Farmington’s animal control officer.
“This is a multi-agency thing going on,” Hodges said. “We reached out to everyone.”
Carmen Nelson, director of Animal League of Washington County, said the Animal League has been involved with the on-going case, adding the non-profit organization works with law enforcement in large cases, such as the one in Lincoln.
According to officers at the scene, most of the dogs were Min Pins and Yorkies. Some were in cages inside the house and others were in cages in a kennel behind the house. One officer said dogs were all over the property, including some dead animals. Four large dogs were outside: a Rottweiler, lab and two pit bulls.
The dogs were living in their own feces and urine and many will need vet care, Nelson said.
“We have witnessed a few just in handling them, some do have cataracts. They’ve been obviously bred to death, some very old, skin issues, and large matted mats on their body from their hair not being trimmed and sitting in their urine and feces,” Nelson said.
She described the inside of the house as “pretty much unbreathable.”
Another officer said the inside of the house was “ungodly.”
Chris Brumley, Lincoln’s animal control officer, said he has been investigating the animal problems at the residence for more than a year. He said he first went to Cain’s property in May 2017, because of a complaint. Since then he’s been on the property many times and has written her up multiple times.
Brumley said the case has taken longer because part of Cain’s property is in the city and part of her property is in the county.
Tracy Irwin, Lincoln District Court clerk, said Cain has been found guilty of animal-related charges two times in District Court.
Cain was found guilty June 27, 2017, for multiple violations of the city’s animal control ordinance. She had 34 dogs that were not licensed and did not have records for rabies shots.
Cain was found guilty in District Court again on March 27, 2018, for not having dog tags or rabies vaccinations for six dogs in the house. She also was found guilty of not having a kennel license. The city requires a kennel license for more than five dogs. Irwin said the court document noted the charges referred to six dogs that belonged to Cain.
Of the animals seized last week, 28 were inside the house, Brumley said, with 18 in crates and the rest running loose in the house. The dogs had fleas, some with little or no hair. Brumley said a few dead dogs were found in trash bags outside and officers found dead goats on the property.
Hodges said the Sheriff’s Office asked Cain to voluntarily relinquish her animals to the county but she refused. If Cain continues to refuse to surrender the animals, then they will have to be held as evidence, Hodges said. The sheriff’s office and Animal League were calling different vet clinics on Wednesday about treating and housing the animals during this time.
Cain also is the defendant in a civil lawsuit filed by the city of Lincoln and Washington County because she had not complied with numerous orders and violations to clean up the outside of her property.
In early May, Washington County Judge Doug Martin ordered Cain to clean up her property in 30 days or the city and county would be allowed to come in and clean it up for her.
Since that court order, Cain has substantially improved her property, and Lincoln City Council at its May 15 meeting voted to extend Cain’s clean-up deadline several weeks, contingent on the work showing visible signs of progress.