On Friday, Feb. 22, 2013, Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist charged a Steilacoom, Wash. woman with animal cruelty. According to the Prosecutor’s office, Kim Olander, 35, was charged with animal cruelty for severely neglecting her dog who was found in the bathroom of her Steilacoom, Wash. home.
“Animal cruelty laws were written to hold people accountable for crimes such as this,” stated Prosecutor Lindquist.
“When defenseless animals are victimized, we prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”
A Lakewood Animal Control Officer visited Olander’s home on Jan. 8 for an animal welfare check after receiving an anonymous complaint about her pets. When the officer arrived at the home, he was greeted by three healthy dogs.
The defendant, who allowed the officer into the residence, then stated that she owned two other dogs who lived in the bathroom.
The animal control officer discovered a urine-soaked bathroom. Housed within the small room were two dogs, one of which was severely emaciated: his vertebrae, hips, pelvis, ribs, and shoulders protruded from his gaunt frame.
According to the defendant, the two dogs in the bathroom had been sick for one month. She voluntarily surrendered the two dogs after stating that she had not taken them to a veterinarian.
After going to the Humane Society for examinations, the emaciated dog’s condition was attributed to starvation. Within only one week, this dog gained 11 pounds. He now appears to be in normal condition.
According to Pet MD, starvation is a very painful process. A dog’s biochemistry is disrupted by various lengths of time of starvation, shifting into survival mode within twenty-four hours with no nutritional intake.
On Wednesday, Feb. 20, the defendant failed to appear before court. She was later arrested on a warrant and plead not guilty in Pierce County Superior Court. The defendant’s next scheduled court appearance is Mar. 7.
Thanks to an anonymous tip, this case was brought to the attention of Lakewood Animal Control and the Pierce County Prosecutor. Animals cannot speak for themselves – if you think that you may have witnessed animal cruelty or animal abuse, report it.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund has made a new app to help report animal cruelty and neglect.
The ALDF Crime Tips for iPhone and Android is a revolutionary app to help the animals - including those in Washington State.
The Seattle Pets Examiner will post updates to this case as they occur.
"Like" this column to help share it with others!
If you would like to continue to receive important information, features, and news related to pets in Seattle and beyond, please click the "Subscribe" icon located at the top of this column. It's free, convenient, and anonymous!
You can also find the Seattle Pets Examiner on Facebook!
Comments