9 starving dogs found with year-old baby
Three face felony cruelty charges
Staff writer
Ten animals and a child were removed from a Florence home March 5 after sheriff’s deputies responded to a complaint about animals being mistreated.
Deputies discovered nine underfed and neglected dogs, one cat, and a 1-year-old child in the house, Undersheriff Larry Starkey said.
One dog was a Labrador retriever. The eight others were pit bull mixes, he said.
The child was turned over to juvenile intake. The animals were taken to Animal Health Center in Marion, he said.
Arrested were:
- Tammy J. Bremer, 55, Florence, on suspicion of felony cruelty to animals and violating her probation. The probation was related to a plea deal in which she pleaded no contest Sept. 30 to giving a worthless check in exchange for dropping a theft charge. She was ordered to pay restitution and serve probation until the $158.53 debt was paid. She was released 23 hours after last week’s arrest after she posted $5,000 bond.
- Jouanna S. Cain, 33, Florence, on suspicion of felony cruelty to animals. She was released 23 hours later without bond. She previously had been jailed eight times for violating her probation, failing to appear in court, and on suspicion of theft by deception and driving while her license was canceled, suspended, or revoked. She formally was charged April 17, 2023, with theft of $102.50 worth of merchandise from Family Dollar/Dollar Tree. She pleaded no contest Nov. 15, 2023, and was sentenced to a year’s probation.
- Jonathon R. Thomas, 21, on suspicion of possession of stimulants and felony cruelty to animals. He was released 24 hours later without bond.