Update: Kiron cocker spaniel breeder pleads not guilty

Last Friday Mary Brodersen pleaded not guilty to 93 counts of animal neglect despite the deplorable conditions her cocker spaniels were found in.  Five were found dead.

Timeline of events:

Dates in timeline may be approximated

Update: Burbank siblings to appear in animal cruelty trial

Prince died after fatal stabbing
Prince died after senseless attack

The 18-year-old brother and 23-year-old sister who brutally killed their aunt’s cocker spaniel will face trial March 7th. On February 4, 2012, Timo Bodtcher held down Prince while Charissa Bodtcher stabbed him approximately 10 times with a 12-inch hunting knife. Both fled the scene leaving Prince to die. Prince managed to climb up the long flight of stairs leading to his home in a 2nd floor apartment. Police testified Prince left trail of blood on the stairway where they found him bleeding profusely with his organs protruding. Tim Bodtcher justified his actions by saying Prince was “crazy” and “bites people.” Both siblings are free on bail.

Jealous boyfriend kills cocker spaniels

Firefighter Hal David Moore
Firefighter Hal David Moore
Auburn, Alabama resident Hal David Moore, 23, was arrested February 16, 2012 on five felony counts of first-degree animal cruelty. Charges also included second-degree arson. Moore broke into his girlfriend’s home on February 16, 2012 setting fire to a bedroom which killed five cocker spaniel puppies. The puppies died of smoke inhalation although the mother survived. Four puppies were found in a bathtub. One puppy was found dead in a cage with its mother.

Ironically, Moore serves as an Auburn fire fighter. According to the victim’s uncle Harold Brown, “The police said whoever did it knew about fire.” Moore was released from the Lee County Detention Facility on a $18,500 bond. Moore is also a student at Auburn University.

Update: Cockers rescued in Iowa story

Rescued cocker matted in feces
Rescued cocker matted in feces
Yesterday, Mary Jean Brodersen (44) was charged with 93 counts of animal neglect by the Sac County Court related to the seizure of 87 cocker spaniels on January 25th from her farm in Kiron, Iowa. Eighty-eight of the charges were simple misdemeanors while 5 were serious misdemeanors (5 cocker spaniels died). Brodersen will be back in court February 24th. She has not been arrested.

Some of the 87 cocker spaniels have already been adopted. There are 15 cocker spaniels at the Cedar Valley Humane Society in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They aren’t accepting applications just yet. Spokeswoman Jan Clarke said, “They seem surprisingly social for what they’ve been through but we’re guessing after they’ve been poked and prodded — just like anybody, any person — they need a little time to recover from that.”

One of the pregnant cocker spaniels at the Cedar Rapids Humane Society delivered six puppies last Sunday. Also, one of the cockers at the Boone Area Humane Society gave birth to three puppies.

Dog rescue owner arrested for cruelty

Ninety-eight dogs, including cocker spaniels, were seized from Paws & Claws rescue in Wingo, Kentucky during a raid by the Graves County Sheriff’s Department yesterday morning. Several dead dogs were found on the property. Rescue owner, Shannon Lacewell, is in the Graves County Jail on one count of animal cruelty.

Dogs were found starved and neglected. Dogs had reportedly been eating each other to survive. “That’s how they’re surviving…they’re mobbing a dog and attacking him and killing him and then eating him,” said Animal Rescue Corps spokesman Michael Cunningham. Rescue workers brought the dogs in for treatment. An eight-pound cocker spaniel had two pounds of matted fur and feces removed by groomers.