Former Troy woman accused in puppy abandonment case
A former Troy resident is accused of multiple counts of animal abandonment following an incident last year at a local animal shelter in Libby.
Sarah Jane Goodman, 44, of Post Falls, Idaho faces one misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals - abandoning any animal and 16 felony counts of the same charge.
According to a Kootenai County Jail (Idaho) social media post, Goodman was booked into the facility between Jan. 20 and Jan. 21.
She made her initial appearance Jan. 29 on video in front of Judge Jay Sheffield who determined there was probable cause for the case to proceed.
She was ordered held in the Lincoln County Detention Center on $10,000 bail.
Court documents indicate Goodman is seeking a public defender. Deputy County Attorney Lauren O’Neill will prosecute the case.
Following an investigation by county deputy Andrew Smith, a warrant was issued July 23, 2024, for Goodman’s arrest.
According to the charging document, county dispatch deputy got a call in the early evening hours of Feb. 1, 2024, about a passerby finding one to dozen puppies in taped-up boxes in front of the Tobacco Valley Animal Shelter. At the time, it served as the county animal shelter.
Deputy Brandon Huff responded, spoke with shelter staff and deputy Smith was told there were 17 dogs in the boxes.
Less than two hours later, an individual called dispatch and said she recognized the vehicle and puppies from a social media post. She said the individuals were Goodman and her son.
Animal shelter employees provided two videos showing a man believed to be Goodman's son carrying the boxes of puppies to the front of the building. The videos also showed a gray 2011 Ford F-150 pickup truck that the son was seen walking to and from. Deputy Smith reported Goodman owned such a vehicle.
He also reported traveling to a residence on Milnor Lake Road, Troy, the following morning in an attempt to speak to Goodman or her son. He didn’t find either person, but spoke to Goodman later that morning.
According to Smith, Goodman allegedly admitted she and her son dropped the puppies off at the shelter on Feb. 1, 2024. She said she was unable to care for the animals and was unsuccessful at selling the puppies on Craigslist. She told deputy Smith that the three litters of puppies were seven, nine and 10 weeks old.
Smith wrote in his report that he believed Goodman and her son abandoned their responsibility of the puppies because the shelter wasn’t scheduled to open until 10 a.m. the next day, Feb. 2, leaving them helpless, overnight, without food or water on a night when the low temperature was 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
Of another concern to deputy Smith was that predatory animals such as coyotes, wolves, bobcats and mountain lions could have found the puppies and injured or killed them.
A conviction on the initial charge may result in a $1,000 fine and one year in jail. A conviction on the felony counts may result in a $2,500 fine and a two year sentence in a state correctional facility.