Ok, for those who still believe in Annette, I have a personal story to tell…back in october of 2005, I pulled an abused pit bull puppy from a NY shelter.  All paperwork was in my name.  Annette was supposed to pick up this puppy, who had a known pelvic fracture, and transport her to me in Goochland.  Pick up was Sunday, and delivery to me was supposed to be Tuesday am.  I heard from Annette on Sunday that she had gotten this puppy, and vet had given her 3 days of pain meds so she would be able to keep the puppy comfortable.  Annette did not call me when she got in to town, nor did she answer any of my phone calls…finally, she did answer my call and told me there was nothing wrong with the pup, and that she was going to keep her.  I had to threaten her with the police to get this dog from her.  Annette would not let me come to her place, but set meeting up at boarding kennel down the road from her.  She had this puppy for nearly 3 weeks, and had run out of pain meds in first 3 days.  This dog had been thrown out of a 3rd floor window in Brooklyn, and her injuries were extensive (3 smashed vertebrae, broken pelvis, sacrum, right rear leg, and ruptured Achilles tendon.  She SUFFERED with Annette.  I had her on crate rest for 2 years, as she slowly healed.  So, tell me again how caring Annette is?  I still have this pup, and grateful every day I never gave up trying to get her from Annette, and PATTI STINSON gave me help and encouragement the whole time.  Patti is a caring and responsible rescuer, Annette Thompson is a hoarder.

We are distressed by the attack on Pet Rescue Foundation and Mrs. Thompson! We have known her for 14 or 15 years and know she takes excellent care of all her animals.  Mrs. Thompson can sometimes save dogs and puppies that vets cannot and is great with all animals.  The animals are fed and cared for before she takes care of herself. Mrs. Thompson has difficulty saying no to people and animals in dire need.

Mrs. Thompson, of course has old and/or sick animals. That is her mission:  To restore and care for these basically un-adoptable dogs and horses for their lifetime.  That horse that died was at least thirty years old!  With vet care, worming and good food, she improved at Mrs. Thomson’s.  She was a very old horse.

We are fortunate to have our wonderful, dedicated and reasonable animal control personnel.  They too, truly care for our Goochland County animals.

We occasionally keep dogs for Mrs. Thompson (during construction, etc.) and the dogs are sociable, well fed and love Mrs. Thompson. She is constantly upgrading with what funds she has, mostly her own.  If people really want to help, please contribute to or volunteer for Pet Rescue Foundation.

We would hope that these folks who are complaining are out there summer and winter hauling food and water and cleaning kennels 365 days a year for homeless animals as Mrs. Thompson does.

Thank you,
Fred and Jinny Fleischman
Oak Forest Kennels
Hadensville, VA

very sad depressing place, very errie feeling
no happiness with the animals, they are begging
to get out of there, they have not human
contact, nothing to do except just stand there
and go nuts.they freeze to death in winter
and burn up in the summer, they have been given
rice when she was out of food for them to eat.
she cannot afford to take care such a large
quantity of animals, she gets dogs from rural
shelters out of richmond, brings in adoptable
dogs in and makes them unadoptable.
very sad, these dogs are doomed unless someone
steps in and rescues them.

annette thompson also sews her dogs up when
they have gotten hurt also, she is not a vet
she has been known to cross state line to get
dogs too from rural shelters. she moves dogs
around and takes them to oakforest kennels
when there is a inspection coming.
so it looks like she does not have too many dogs.
her dogs some of them are going crazy, going
in circles - craving for human contact, never
walked, played with, dogs tied up in front
of house cannot get out and run just tied to
a tree, very sad, depressing place and the
dogs are just begging to get out of there.
she does not want anyone to adopt them
she wants to keep them all.lots of dogs buried
on the property.

Wendell (or whomever you are) - for some odd reason, you seem to have a problem with Patti and A Forever Home, a reputable rescue.  There is a big, big difference here that you obviously don’t get it.  I have clicked on the links that you keep referring to, and my first reaction is he/she must be kidding.  As far as Bella the Boxer, it clearly says she is now living with her FOSTER home.  In case you aren’t aware, foster homes are where the animals go and live in a HOME, temporarily, with loving, caring people who dedicate their time, energy and money so that these poor helpless animals have chance and aren’t thrown out in the cold, heat, rain, snow, etc., as Ms. Thompson has done. I believe Ms. Thompson started out with the right intentions, but she is sick and she should not be allowed to have any kind of animal ever again. Patti is not the bad guy here and she fights tooth and nail for animal rights.  Not sure why you keep referring to AFH links, but if you are trying to find a smoking gun, it’s not there.  Sorry.

No matter what this lady may have done, you did not need to bring in that she lives in a trailer.  There is nothing wrong with living in a trailer.  Just because you have the means to afford a house, doesn’t mean everyone else does.  Please don’t be so quick to judge.

well i just learned of Ms thompsons plight . and by the weekend i will have done something to help .but that is my business not yours . i did not attack anybody . i said if someone knows and doesnt try to help they are just as guilty . if you tried then you dont fit the catagory . however .
  now that said . the Fleischmans would never hide sick dogs for anyone . they are the most caring ,loving pillars of our community . around here we help our freinds and neighbors .
    i dont read unsigned posts as they could be written by anyone .

This place is a joke, it is not a sanctuary,
these animals need to get out NOW
What is going on the Goochland Animal Control
not doing something about this???????
This really says alot about Goochland County
allowing animal abuse to go on for so long,
does not look good for the county, why hasn’t
someone done something about this????

WAKE UP GOOCHLAND LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE GOING ON
IN YOUR BACKYARD, WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE
CAN’T THEY SEE THIS IS WRONG???
ANIMAL CONTROL DOES NOTHING??????
WHAT IS GOING ON???THIS IS PRETTY BAD FOR THE
COUNTY OF GOOCHLAND, VA.
ALLOWING ANNETTE THOMPSON TO CONTINUE TO HOARD
ANIMALS, THIS IS NOT RIGHT, AND LOTS OF PEOPLE
ARE UPSET ABOUT THIS AND WILL NOT STOP TIL SHE
IS STOPPED.

I have known about Annette Thompson for sometime
now even when she lived in Short Pump.She for some
reason takes in so many dogs and really cannot
give them the proper care they need, food, vet
care and etc.Someone should contact Bob from Bark
he has helped her with dead dogs burying them
for her, contact him and see what he says,
he has known what she has been doing.I am sure he
will have loads of information about what is and what has been going on there at her place. Also
Goochland Animal Control needs to be looked into
if they have closed their eyes to all of this
and also Goochland County they need to clean up
this mess, and help those animals out there, this is a sin to allow this to go on.

Don’t worry Wendell - there’s lots more than just one picture - I promise.  When the time is right, the world will see EXACTLY how Thompson cares for her animals.

I am quite sure that Thompson isn’t sleeping well because she knows EXACTLY what she is guilty of, and she knows that there are many, many witnesses who can testify to her abuse/cruelty/neglect of animals.

If she had any sense, she’d give all the animals to real rescues, shut down that sham of a rescue, and go into hiding.  Since she doesn’t have any sense, responsible animal lovers will have to save the animals through the legal system.  Just wait until you learn how many animals that legitimate rescues have taken from her.  The numbers will shock you.

Patience Wendell - all will be revealed as soon as the time is right.  Even those who think you know her will be shocked at the level of abuse/neglect she has exhibited.

Thanks so much for advertising our website and our available pups!  Many of them came from horrible places just like Thompson’s - however, the difference between us and her is that we actually take animals to the vet and get then healthy, and then we adopt them out into loving homes.  Thompson takes puppies and kennels them for their entire lives or chains them to trees. 

She is a hoarder.

Wake up Goochland.  You are in denial.

To Fred and Jinny Fleischman - she doesn’t provide care - she lives on $1200 a month.  How do you think she feeds and provides vet care for 150-200 dogs on that?  Those dogs are not unadoptable when she gets them, but they sure are once they get to her. Ignoring animals makes them unsociable and she ignores them. 

Thompson saves dogs that vets cannot?  Who told you that?  Thompson?  How does she do that?  Is she certified and licensed to provide veterinary care?  Is she a miracle worker? 

Hey - if you believe that, I have a bridge in New York that I’ll sell you at a good price.

Thanks for the laugh about Animal Control - “We are fortunate to have our wonderful, dedicated and reasonable animal control personnel.  They too, truly care for our Goochland County animals”/

You’re kidding, right?  Are you on the same planet as the rest of us?  They are the only ones who do less for animals than Thompson.  They know less about animals than she does.

Why don’t you ask them about their credentials and training to be ACOs.  I dare you.

I’ll be out of town for a few days but you should have an answer from them by the time I get back on Sunday.  Let me know what you learn.

This is absolutely horrible, last year I sent
in donations to help the animals thinking this
was a rescue and now finding out what is going
on this is really bad. Please someone help all
those poor animals in need. Goochland you should
be ashamed of yourselves allowing this to go
on and it sounds like Goochland Animal Control
does not know their ass from their face.

Wendell,

We are an animal welfare organization dedicated to ending animal cruelty.  We are based in Virginia.  So, this is our business.  We are entitled to express our outrage at Annette’s gross neglect of the animals in her care.  You are not the only one entitled to express your opinion.

Did you happen to look at the top 3 photos of Bella where she has filled out?  BIG DIFFERENCE. A forever home fed that dog and nutured her.  It takes a LONG TIME to starve a horse.  Imagine Annette feeding her face while watching that horse starve.

Do you starve animals, Wendell?  That’s the only reason I can see for your ignorant comments.  You must support animal cruelty.

Is this for real she was a Richmond Cop?
I understand from what alot of people have told
me she is in a location in Goochland that is
very rural and people can get away with doing
anything. Have heard horror stories about this
sancutuary rescue, she will not let you come
on her property without her knowing it, which
I guess makes sense, but still I question alot
of things going on out there. Saw she has some
donation boxes in many businesses in Short Pump
area asking for money. This is really trully
a very sad situation for the animals who I have
heard stay hungry most of the time and freeze
in the winter and burn up in the summer.
so sad, why doesnn’t Goochland do something about
this??????I guess they feel that this is ok
for animals to be treated this way. Looks Bad
for Goochland Big time

Wow, interesting reading, for sure.
I know Ms. Thompson and I know about the “care” her animals receive. While I have read all of the posts thus far, I did find the article on hoarding very informative. (Thank you Patti) It seems that the (few) proponents of Annette seem to be shoulder deep in “protecting” her and come out swinging at all opposition. I ask, instead, that you take a moment and step out of the box and entertain the idea that MAYBE Annette is in over her head. On that note, I live in the country and have dogs “dumped” on me, but does anyone really believe that she has grown her number of dogs (whether you believe the 100 or 300 figure) by JUST having the occasional stray left on your door?? (Supporters can just shake your heads in private) Let’s explore that MAYBE she has a serious mental condition. If you know Annette, you know that she does pull dogs from shelters, she only visits a vet when a dire emergency arises (and sometimes, not even then), she is very unwilling to adopt out her animals, she is vehemently against “visits” to her kennels, she MIGHT feed these dogs one small meal a day due to costs, and she has burned all bridges with local rescue groups (oddly enough for trying to help her) and the list goes on. C’mon guys, whether you like her or hate her, think she’s got a heart of gold or a heart of stone…she is clinically in need of mental help. She should not have the number of animals that she has (and let’s not limit that to just dogs, folks. As you know, if you have been to her place)
The article reads in part:
What is clear is that prosecution alone rarely alters the behavior. “It is essential that key community agencies work together to prevent animal hoarders from harming the large number of animals they gain control over,” says LaFarge. “Social service agencies must collaborate with animal shelters and law enforcement to intervene to save the animals and then follow up with years of monitoring to prevent a recurrence. The general public needs to be educated to realize that the hoarder is not just a nice little old lady who ‘loves too much.’”
That spells it out. Regardless of your feelings for her, she needs to have (most or all of) these animals taken from her, vetted properly, socialized, and adopted. I have tried to help, have tried to take dogs to help her, have tried to offer advice and she refuses all. So, before anyone targets me for pointing a finger rather than lending a hand…don’t bother. I have tried. I would just like to see the community come together (from whatever angle necessary)  to assist in removing these dogs and getting Annette the mental help she so greatly needs. Thanks for listening and I hope these poor animals don’t have to suffer through one more hot Richmond summer in her “care.”

maybe your group should learn a lil human compassion . when you belittle her for living in a camper or because she owns a shotgun or because shes old or because her income is 1200 you have thrown irrelevance into the stew .
  these attacks on the poor ,the old , gunowners ,and trailer dwellers should cease .
  i say a prayer for all today . may all that need help receive it .

rick jarreli, no one is ragging on annette
thompson because she lives in a camper,
or because her income is low, but anyone
with a PIECE of BRAIN with a low income would
not be doing what she is doing. If she cared
about the animals why would she be getting
more and more in on a monthly basis and cannot
even afford to take care of them properly
like vet care and food. just because you get
a dog and put in in a fenced area, bucket
of water and few handfuls of dried food is not
care it goes a little further than
that, it is not right for the animals not to see
a vet, it is not right for the animals to be left
outside 24/7 wwinter and summer. no socializtion
she is taking adoptable dogs from out of state
and brining them to her place with no money
and making them unadoptable.
tell me what is wrong with this picture mr. jarrell.
Goochland animal control has not qualifications
to go out and check what is going on, obviously
this has been going on for a long time and if they
pass her ok on this - well ignorance in this
is showing big time. the only other reason i can
see why animal control has not filed complaint
about this is mabe they have a connection with
each other, you scratch my back, i scratch yours.
DUH- and the Goochland County is protecting them
all. they do not want outsiders coming in and stirring up trouble, they know what is going on
and trying to put it under the rug.

And I will say the biggest prayer of all for all the animals who are only surviving because they are not allowed to live fully at Annette’s place.

I by the way grew up in a trailer. Her age, living conditions, or socioeconomic status has nothing to do with the severe neglect her animals are forced to endure.

Why don’t you ask her about Grandpa, the old black dog who died where every breath was a struggle yet never received the proper vet care? Wheezing in & out & barely moving from his spot in the entrance of his doghouse. Or Cowboy, the hound with the deformed front legs who is no longer alive? Or the pomeranian who was attacked & killed by a wild animal? Or the white horse who slowly deteriorated over the course of months from not being treated for cancer? I would love to see what kind of excuse she comes up with to tell you what happened to them. I could continue but you get the picture.

Goochland AC has been out to her property many many times & incredibly everything looks just fine to them Makes you think doesn’t it that maybe just maybe something is going on behind the scenes. Hmmmmm….

I was thinking about Anette this morning and about how terribly the animals are suffering on her property, and all the horrible things she has done to animals over the years. And I started getting so angry that her whole operation has been allowed to continue for so long! I was thinking of…..

Elizabeth who has a severe neurological problem where she couldn’t take a couple of steps before falling down. I’d never been around a dog with such horrible physical problems and it was tough to watch. After a reputable rescue group rescued her from “the rescuer” and she was taken to a vet they were told it was probably due to an untreated ear infection. A simple untreated ear infection!!!
Lorelie- who has a major health issue that she is not receiving the proper medication for. A rescue group tried to remove her several times from Annette and each time Annette has refused to give her up. I spent time with her and she constantly tried to rub her face on me the entire time I was in her pen. Annette said she has some disorder where the skin doesn’t attach to the muscle. This dog was definitely extremely uncomfortable.
Chauncy - same has Lorelie except he suffers more being exposed to the elements with NO hair! That is if he’s even around anymore.
the white horse - her pain and suffering must have been severe. Can you imagine having cancer and not having pain medication for it??? I was shocked at her appearance the day I saw her. I’d never seen a more emaciated animal. Terribly sad.
All the dogs who could’ve been rescued or adopted who instead she chose to keep prisoner on her property without the proper care and mental stimulation.
The hound dogs and all the many other animals who had over a year’s worth of feces in their pens. Us 3 spent over AN HOUR in one pen alone!!! One pen!
The sad look on Sybil’s face in her cage as she sat in her own filth suffering with severe arthritis.
All the dogs in the indoor/outdoor pens laying in their own waste for days on end who had no clean area in their entire pens to lay in so they had to lie in their filth.
The severely matted terrier mix who was acting neurotic in his small cage due to a lack of mental stimulation. One of 3 dogs that day Annette told me was “crazy and you can’t get near him.”
Grandpa who was making horrfic breathing noises as he lay there suffering w/ no pain medication for congestive heart failure who A. was waiting for to give her “the look” before she would finally end his suffering. I couldn’t believe she actually said this to me.
Cowboy who was so happy I was spending time with him despite his severely crippled legs. It’s so sad to think about what happened to him. I’m sure he’s buried on the property somewhere.
Sid who if he hadn’t been rescued would still be on his short chain tied to a tree with no one giving him love and attention. His aggressiveness would be totally unmanageable now.
All the surgeries she’s performed on the animals with no pain medication who suffered terribly! Besides the fact that it’s against the law. She’s not a damn vet!
All the animals that have been denied what a dog loves most - a walk!!! Annette acted really weird when we asked to walk the dogs. That was a big red flag for me. I get emails on a daily basis from my local animal shelter begging for dog walkers. But, then again, they are a reputable organization that actually understands an animal’s need to receive companionship and mental stimulation. To lock a dog up forever in a cage will cause extreme behavior problems and mental deterioration! 

All the dogs that could’ve been in a home that she refused to let off her property instead condemning them to a life without companionshiop, socialization, and love from humans. She makes completely friendly, adoptable animals TOTALLY UNADOPTABLE!!!

I know all these animals because I spent an afternoon volunteering on Annette’s property. At first I thought I was helping someone who was just extremely overwhelmed. I was thinking that day, how’s this old lady taking care of all these animals, and I realize now she’s not! It’s not humanly possible. When we went up the hill to the pens in the back, the ones she told us, “no one ever comes up here,” the amount of feces in the pens was so great I would guess some of those pens hadn’t been cleaned in close to a year. How else do you explain how 3 people in an hour didn’t even finish? I realize now the situation is much, much worse, to the point that it’s actually unbelievable. I can’t believe local authorities look the other way and allow this to continue. Annette you should hang your head in shame!!!

I AM NOT BECOMING TO BELIEVE ANIMALS DO NOT
HAVE ANY RIGHTS AND PROTECTION IN THE COUNTY
OF GOOCHLAND, VA. i HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THERE
IS PROOF OF CRUELTY, NEGLECT, PICTURES, VETERIARIANS WILLING TO STEP FORWARD WITH PROOF
OF ALL OF THIS AND PEOPLE ARE STILL QUESTIONING
WHETHER THIS IS REALLY GOING ON. I CANNOT BELIEVE
THIS, IT IS OBVIOUSLY EMBARRASING OR THEY JUST
DO NOT CARE MEANING GOOCHLAND AUTHORITIES,TO LOOK
INTO THE COMPLAINTS MADE, MY GOD I EVEN QUESTION
THE STATE VET WHO MAKES REGULAR VISITS THERE
I HAVE BEEN TOLD, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE
ARE THEY BLIND, STUPID OR JUST PLAIN DO NOT CARE
THIS CRUELTY AND NEGLECT AT PET RESCUE FOUNDATION
HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS, WHY HAS IT BEEN
ALLOWED TO CONTINUE - WHY ARE THEY ALLOWING THIS
ABC NEWS WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THIS STORY FOR SURE
THIS CASE IS BIGGER AND GOES FARTHER THAN
PEOPLE KNOW, IT HAS SO MANY ROOTS EXTENDING
TO DIFFERENT LOCAL GOVT DEPTS IN GOOCHLAND.
THE GOOD OLD BOY NETWORK IS WORKING OVERTIME ON
THIS -

Why is she allowed to get away with not having the animals vetted, all other rescue groups have to have their animals vetted and have rabies and proper medical care, why is she any different. If animal control visits any boarding facility or foster home for a rescue or even a owner, if they don’t have rabies they will get a fine if they don’t comply within a certain amount of days.
I think some Animal Control officers could care less about the animals.
I volunteered with a Rescue group for 10 years and Annette seemed to never want any help from any one, she wouldn’t let many people on her property.
I know there are volunteers from other rescues that have gone out to help and were upset about the conditions, and if anything was said to Annette she would get angry and make them leave and them never to come back.
Why is she allowed to make the choices that these danimals have a life sentence and suffer at her hands, whenshe puts them in her van the already have their DEATH SENTENCE and days and years of suffering. They deserve better.
We as human’S should be caring for them not putting them in more PAIN AND MISERY. THEY DEPEND ON US TO KEEP THIS SAFE AND WELL.
It is HOARDERS and Rescue people like her that make it so hard for the good Rescue Groups to continue to help the animals.
It breaks our hearts to know that their are animals that don’t have a chance once they are to people like Annette.
She needs to live in one of the kennel runs full of poop and frozen water and eat food off of the ground and have no place to get warm.
Like she has made so many of these poor fur babies live for so many years.

A dedicated Volunteer

having a dog inside is cruel and inhumane . dogs were meant to be outside . to keep a dog indoors takes away his natural surroundings .
  her income does not have anything to do with her ability to care for these animals . it has more to do with donations . surely you dont expect me to beleive you spend your entire paycheck on your rescue op .

I would just ignore Rick Jarrell’s comments at this point people. It’s quite obvious he’s completely clueless & ignorant of the situation at Annette’s & is just trying to get a rise out of people who truly care about the animals & are desperately trying to fix the problem. I actually thought you would at least bring up some valid thoughtful points since you seem to be the only one pro Pet Rescue Foundation.

rick jarrell, dogs are not meant to be left outside 24/7 in the freezing weather, snow and burning up in the summer, are you some kind of idiot. when i have visited goochland i see so
many dogs running around not spayed and neutered
i guess you do not believe in that either.
dogs are a part of the family, they are not meant
to be tied up to a tree stuck outside all day
nowhere to go cannot run and play. i suggest
you keep your comments to yourself you are sounding really pathetic. this is about people
trying to help those animals, dogs, horses, sheep,
chickens, cats, kittens and many more at this
rescue. give me a break this is unfair for the
animals and shame on goochland closing their eyes
to this for so long, obviously animals do not
count in goochland, i have also heard how bad
some hunters treat their dogs in goochland to
dumping them because they cannot hunt, shooting
them in the head, nice treatment Goochland.