Animal cruelty charges filed against dog breeder

A Libby woman has been charged with six counts of animal cruelty almost three weeks after the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office removed 119 animals from her home.

The Lincoln County Attorney’s Office on Monday filed four felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and two counts of cruelty to animals, one a misdemeanor and the other a felony, against Lincoln County kennel owner Cathie Warren. If convicted she faces a maximum nine years imprisonment and $11,000 in fines. Her arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 29.

The county attorney also included 11 alternative charges, all cruelty to animals – second or subsequent offense, and each a felony.

Lincoln County officials on Aug. 2 removed 53 dogs, six donkeys and 60 parakeets from Warren’s property. The case’s nine-page affidavit describes visits to Warren’s property over the past five months, where Lincoln County Animal Control, Sheriff’s Office and a Whitefish veterinary technician reported finding 59 animals in alleged conditions that warranted removal. According to Warren and the sheriff’s department, the 60 birds were removed voluntarily from Warren’s property.

According to court documents, a second veterinarian, Dr. Fred Conkel of Westgate Animal Clinic in Libby completed a second examination on the donkeys two days after the removal effort. In the report, Conkel said that each donkey had poor health, excessively long hooves and other medical issues.

Lincoln County Animal Control has been holding the animals at the Libby and Eureka facilities during the past three weeks.

Warren has disputed the animal cruelty claims since Aug. 2, the day her 53 dogs, six donkeys and 60 parakeets were taken from her home just outside city limits. Warren said she believes the Humane Society of the United States orchestrated the removal in order to eliminate all animal breeders in the country. Warren did not return calls for comment made by The Western News after charges were filed.

In the past three weeks, Warren has been building a network of support from past clients who have purchased her dogs, as well as people who say they have been targeted by the Humane Society of the United States for dog breeding.

Among those in support of Warren is Gordon Sullivan, Warren’s neighbor. Sullivan, recently diagnosed with bone cancer, said that Warren donated a service poodle to him six months ago, about a month before the animal removal.

Sullivan said Warren’s dogs have previously received visits from the animal control department for noise complaints, one called in by his wife. He said being so close to the hills outside Libby, bears and other animals often come down to feed on the apple trees, prompting the dogs to bark. As for the dogs’ health, Sullivan said he’s seen dogs that have been beaten or mistreated, and Warren’s dogs don’t exhibit the same tone of disparity.

Sullivan said in a small neighborhood like his and Warren’s, someone would have turned her in a long time ago if they suspected any animal cruelty.

“I can see if a person is outwardly abusing animals and they would get turned in by their local neighbors. If it’s a bonafide deal, I’d be the first one to arm myself and do something about it,” he said.

Warren’s arraignment is set for Aug. 29 at 9:30 a.m.

Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.