Pantagraph.com | News | Woman charged with cruelty to 48 cats gets year of supervision

NewsWednesday, November 28, 2007 7:06 PM CST

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Woman charged with cruelty to 48 cats gets year of supervision

By Edith Brady-Lunny
eblunny@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON -- A Heyworth woman who owned more than 48 cats was sentenced to 12 months of court supervision Monday and prohibited from caring for cats for a year.

Judy Reese, 62, was charged in May with cruelty to animals and violating an owner’s duties to provide adequate care for animals. Both charges are misdemeanor offenses.

In a plea agreement with the state, Reese must reimburse the Humane Society of Central Illinois about $4,000 for medical and other costs for caring for the animals picked up at her rural Heyworth home.

Restitution also will be paid to humane investigators Deb Phares and Becca Lawrence for the money they spent on the case. Phares estimated that the investigators spent several hundred dollars.

Most of the 32 cats that survived after the Humane Society rescue have been adopted, Phares said Tuesday. Workers were unable to save 16 kittens.

Phares said she does not believe Reese meant to harm the dozens of cats investigators found on the property.

“I’m sure she didn’t intend to harm any animals. The number probably got too large for her to care for,” said Reese.

Phares said she was satisfied with the outcome of the case.

Humane Society and Illinois Department of Agriculture workers were at Reese’s home for two days collecting the animals. Some of the cats were roaming the property and others were in cages. The animals were without food or water and no running water was available on the premises, according to police reports.

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Reader comments on this story - 8 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

To confused wrote on Nov 29, 2007 9:14 AM:

" It was in rural Heyworth about 4 miles west of town. "

Confused wrote on Nov 28, 2007 10:02 PM:

" There was a cat house in Heyworth and nobody knew about it? "

:( wrote on Nov 28, 2007 7:11 PM:

" A YEAR? I completely disagree with the verdict that she can't care for any cats for a measly year. She should be banned from having animals for the rest of her life, and subject to checks by Humane Society investigators. "

ew wrote on Nov 28, 2007 6:27 PM:

" Gross her house must have smelled horrible. "

RITA wrote on Nov 28, 2007 2:02 PM:

" I think she should win some sort of prize! There are too many cats around as it is. "

to why dont wrote on Nov 28, 2007 9:03 AM:

" i think she is a very caring person that she was just overwhelmed in her battle please give her a break she was trying to do what she thought was right.i hope that you will do the same when you get this way in your life . "

Why don't~ wrote on Nov 28, 2007 7:16 AM:

" She gets what she deserves, and treat her like she did those poor cats! "

reader wrote on Nov 27, 2007 10:32 PM:

" Meow. "

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