The Goochland Gazette | News - Goochland District Court finds Pet Rescue Foundation guilty on eight misdemeanor counts

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Goochland District Court finds Pet Rescue Foundation guilty on eight misdemeanor counts
Published: September 29, 2010

By Ken Odor
jodor@goochlandgazette.com

Annette Thompson, operator of the Pet Rescue Foundation in Hadensville, was found guilty last Tuesday on eight counts of inadequate animal care, a Class IV misdemeanor charge.

She was ordered to pay a total of $856 in fines and court costs. The maximum possible penalty for a Class IV misdemeanor case is a $250 fine.

At the end of the almost three-hour long trial, Thompson’s attorney Darvin Satterwhite asked the court not to find her guilty.

“Any conviction would shut her down,” said Satterwhite to Judge Roger L. Morton, who took over the case from Goochland District Court Judge Edward Carpenter.

Satterwhite argued that if not for Thompson’s efforts, most of the dogs she has would be running loose with no care.

But Morton turned that argument aside.

“If you are going to help them, you’re going to have to take it all the way,” he said.

Morton said he had heard “enough evidence to convince me that these dogs did not receive adequate veterinary care.”

During the trial, which involved nine charges of inadequate animal care brought by four complainants, the court heard testimony of dogs adopted from Thompson that were found to be suffering from heartworms, ear infections, bad teeth and other problems.

One case involved an older dog, “Elizabeth,” with pressure sores, heartworms, hookworms, arthritis, ear infections and anemia.

Veterinarian Dr. Martin Tohill of Chantilly Animal Hospital in Northern Virginia testified when questioned by complainant Maria Cline that “all of these conditions are preventable.”

But when questioned by Satterwhite, Dr. Tohill said he had not contacted the authorities in this case to report animal abuse.

Another case involved a now adopted dog that had been tethered on a short chain.

Veterinarian Dr. Daniel A. Kovich of the state Office of Veterinary Services stated that “In my opinion the chain was too short for the animal for the animal to receive adequate exercise.”

But when questioned by Satterwhite, Dr. Kovich said he did not request charges be filed by Animal Control, although Goochland Animal Control did receive a letter summarizing observations from Dr. Kovich’s inspection of February 5, 2009.

An inspection by Goochland Animal Control in March of this year resulted in a generally favorable report on Thompson’s operation.

Thompson can appeal her conviction to Goochland Circuit Court, said Judge Morton.

“We feel that her being found guilty of these charges is a victory for the animals but just one step of many to get them off her property and into places where they can be properly cared for,” said Sue Bell, one of the four complainants and Executive Director of Homeward Trails Animal Rescue in Northern Virginia.

The eight misdemeanor convictions ended an eight-month long saga of court hearings and continuances begun in March, which included the inclusion of a private prosecutor after the Goochland Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute.

That decision was then reversed by Judge Morton after Judge Carpenter had second thoughts about his decision to allow a private prosecutor.

Kovich said later in the week that the process to determine whether the Pet Rescue Foundation is a “home-based releasing agency” or whether the animals are privately owned by Thompson is currently underway.

If determined to be a releasing agency, Thompson would be limited to 50 dogs and could not have any convictions for animal neglect, said Kovich.

Thus the guilty verdicts for inadequate animal care could result in her being prohibited from keeping animals if her operation is indeed determined to be a releasing agency, he said.

Calls to Thompson’s attorney Darvin Satterwhite and veterinarian Dr. Martin Tohill had not been returned at press time.

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