MITCHELL – A Mitchell couple is facing animal neglect charges after police allegedly found their dog living in unsanitary conditions with no apparent vaccinations.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Mitchell Police Officer Cody Blackwell, arrest warrants were requested for Amanda Geary, 47, and Bryan Roberts, 38, on charges of animal neglect.
On Sunday, April 6, at approximately 8:24 a.m., Officer Blackwell was dispatched to the N 9th Street residence for an animal control call. Upon arrival, the officer reportedly found a dog inside a pen constructed of wire fencing and corrugated sheet metal. The ground inside and outside the shelter was described as completely muddy, with areas of liquid mud approximately an inch deep.
Officer Blackwell spoke with the neighbor who had called. The neighbor stated that Mitchell Police Officer Jacobs had instructed the residents of the home the previous night to bring all their dogs inside due to the weather. After reviewing state statutes on animal abuse and consulting with Sergeant Kuhlman, Officer Blackwell decided that the dog needed to be removed from the property due to the “abysmal living conditions.”
Upon closer inspection of the pen, Officer Blackwell confirmed that the entire ground area was mud with no bedding provided. The area inside the sheet metal structure reportedly contained standing water or mud. The Mitchell Street Department was contacted for assistance in securing the dog.
Due to the dog’s aggressive behavior, attempts to catch it from outside the pen were unsuccessful. After waiting for a stronger cage and additional city workers, they managed to open the wire fencing and use a catch pole to restrain the dog after several attempts. The dog reportedly slipped out of the pen during the initial attempts but was eventually secured on the back porch, where another dog was tethered.
The dog was provided food, water, and a jacket while Officer Blackwell attempted to contact a local shelter.
Officer Blackwell returned to the North 9th Street residence to gather more footage of the pen and attempt to contact the owners again. After several knocks, a child opened the door, and eventually, Amanda Geary and Bryan Roberts came to the door. Officer Blackwell requested identification and rabies vaccination records for the three dogs at the residence. Amanda Geary reportedly stated there were no vaccination records.
After initially writing citations, Chief Lobosky recommended requesting charges through the prosecutor due to the severity of the living conditions, which were deemed neglectful. The initial citations were voided. Officer Blackwell informed Geary that the dog’s living conditions were “extremely unsatisfactory” and constituted neglect. Geary stated they had been considering bringing the dog inside permanently after Officer Jacobs’ visit the previous night, and claimed the dog had been born in the pen. The dog appeared to be fully grown at the time of seizure.
The Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office reviewed the case, and both Geary and Roberts were charged with three counts of harboring a non-immunized dog and one count of animal neglect. Both were arrested on Thursday, April 24.
