AR-News: (OH - US) Breeder pleads guilty in animal abuse case

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Breeder Pleads Guilty In Animal Abuse Case
62 Dogs Saved From Breeder's Home

POSTED: 12:50 am EDT May 28, 2004

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The director of the Capital Area Humane Society said he's relieved that a case of animal abuse is over, but he also said the case is an example of abuse that is increasingly common and should serve as a warning for shoppers, breeders and anyone who cares about animals.

Bonnie Stonerock pleaded guilty to five counts of animal cruelty, NewsChannel 4's Duarte Geraldino reported. Investigators said Stonerock was a breeder and kept more than 60 dogs locked up in two small rooms of her Loxely Drive home. They described the conditions as horrible.

"Urine-soaked carpet, the floor board was rotting up, dogs were in cages," said Dan Knapp, of the Humane Society. "It was a horrible situation." 

Most of the dogs were small, and many were flea-infested. Others were so ill or temperamentally unsound that they had to be put to sleep.

Knapp said none of 40 dogs considered adoptable will be allowed to go to a home where there are children under age 13.

"It's inhumane if you're breeding animals that aren't being spayed or neutered, because eventually their litter may not have a chance for a new home," Knapp said.

Of the 62 dogs that were rescued from Stonerock in January, several were pregnant. Since then, eight more pups have been born.

As disturbing as this case may sound to some, Knapp said it's not rare.

"We do think that it's fairly prevalent," he said. "The question is, how often is it reported? In the last year, we've had three cases."

Stonerock, her husband and her brother-in-law were each sentenced to five years probation. None of them will be allowed to own pets during that time. The Humane Society said it's already spent more than $25,000 caring for the animals in this case.

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