21 dead animals, 85 counts of cruelty: Court hearings follow search of Putnam Avenue house
ZANESVILLE − Tonya Hansen and Angela Hansen of Zanesville are charged with 85 total counts each of animal cruelty. Those charges include 64 counts of animal torture and 21 counts of destruction of domestic animals, both first degree misdemeanors.
The animal torture charge is defined as “torture, torment, or commit an act of cruelty against” a companion animal, while the destruction of domestic animals’ charge is defined as “No person shall destroy any domestic animal by the use of either of the following: Any method other than a method that immediately and painlessly renders the domestic animal initially unconscious and subsequently dead.”
“It is by far one of the more gruesome cases that has been presented to this office as it relates to animal treatment, if not the most gruesome,” said Zanesville Assistant Law Director Emily Tarbert. “And I’ve done this for 15 years."
On Dec. 5, Muskingum County Humane Officer Carolyn Hughes obtained a warrant to search the property located at 1141 Putnam Ave. Upon search of the property on Dec. 6, Hughes found it full of cats and dogs, animal urine and feces covering the floor, overflowing litter boxes, lethargic cats and dogs lying in the excrement, and other worse conditions, according to the complaint.
Twenty-one live dogs and 22 live cats were removed from the property, while 13 dead dogs and 8 dead cats were found wrapped in the freezer, the complaint stated.
Hughes did not return calls seeking comment. Tarbert noted that the Zanesville Police were also involved, while city crews were brought on scene to help clean up where necessary. Tarbert said there’s nothing to indicate that this is related to any satanic rituals or beliefs, nor is it associated with any pet care or other business.
Both defendants are still being held in the city jail, according to Tarbert, and have pled not guilty to the charges. Both were assigned court-appointed legal counsel. Attorney Keith Melvin was assigned to Tonya Hansen. Attorney Mark Kaido was assigned to Angela Hansen. On March 25, a request for a bond hearing to release Tonya Hansen on her own recognizance was filed by Melvin. It claimed the $1,000 bond set on March 19 was too high in comparison to her financial resources.
Kaido declined to comment, and Melvin did not return phone calls seeking comment.
According to the municipal court website, Angela Hansen’s case is set for pre-trial at 10 a.m. on March 29 while Tonya Hansen’s case is set for pre-trial at 10 a.m. April 9. Those times and dates are subject to change and routinely moved, according to Tarbert.
Tarbert said if the defendants don’t reach a plea deal, then it will move to either a bench or jury trial.
“We’re hopeful for conviction all counts,” Tarbert said.
Tarbert said her office sees animal neglect and abuse charges on a weekly basis at a rate of five to 10 cases per month, though to a lesser degree. She said Humane Officer Hughes works hard to remove abused or neglected animals and keep them safe, but Tarbert’s office is still responsible for proving those removals are necessary.
“Most of those are probable cause hearings for removal of animals that are abused or neglected, and they don’t result in criminal charges,” Tarbert added.
As to the why or intent of animal abuse and neglect, Tarbert couldn’t go into detail other than to say the reasons why people don’t properly care for animals is varied.
“There are just too many factors.”
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: After search, two Zanesville women face 85 counts of animal cruelty
