Dogs seized from rescue facility are 'evidence,' third arrest made
SALEM, Ore. - Over 140 dogs seized from an animal rescue facility in Marion County are still considered 'evidence' and will not be up for adoption anytime soon, if at all.
The dogs were removed from Willamette Valley Animal Rescue in Brooks.
Investigators said most of the animals were suffering from neglect, were malnourished and were being kept in filthy and overcrowded conditions.
Alicia Inglish, 24, was arrested and charged with 120 counts of animal neglect and one count of tampering with evidence.
Saturday, Marion county sheriff's deputies arrested Merissa Noonan, 21, of Woodburn in connection with the abuse. Noonan surrendered at the Marion County Jail, deputies said. She faces 149 counts of animal neglect.
On Friday, police arrested Amanda Noelle Oakley as a second person involved in the abuse. She was charged with 149 counts of animal neglect and lodged at the Marion County jail.
Oakley served as the secretary and board member for the facility until she resigned on Jan. 10, or three days before police served a search warrant of the facility.
The facility drew attention after a worker with the Oregon Humane Society received reports of problems with an adoption of a dog and was told that the place seemed more like a hoarding situation.
Code enforcement officers tried to work with the rescue facility to resolve the complaints but received no cooperation from those running the rescue organization. The facility also refused to work with the Oregon Humane Society. That's when the sheriff's office stepped in to remove the dogs.
Thomson said it appeared that many of the dogs were fed stale bread. Elsewhere on the property, dogs ran free or huddled in small runs and the facility itself was fouled with feces and urine.
"Many of the dogs appeared to be extremely underweight and suffering from starvation and malnutrition," Thomson said. "Others appeared sick and some had their eyes sealed shut with body fluids."
Authorities said the dogs are responding well to their treatment.
The sheriff's office said they have received a number of inquiries about the dogs and whether they will be up for adoption. Right now, the dogs are part of the investigation and adoptions are not open. The dogs could be available in a few weeks or months, or not at all, Thomson said.
Those who want to help out in some way can donate to the organizations involved in the care of the dogs.
Those who have adopted a dog from Willamette Valley Animal Rescue in the past are asked to call Thomson at (503) 932-8002 or send him an email at Dthomson@co.marion.or.us.
If you were in the process of adopting one of the dogs that was seized, contact the Oregon Humane Society, the Willamette Humane Society and/or Marion County Dog Control to see if the dog you were adopting is still available. At that point, you will be required to follow the organization's regular adoption process.
Many folks have been wondering whether there are laws requiring inspections of rescue facilities. The sheriff's office said there is no specific law that authorizes such inspections, but the Oregon law dealing with neglect and/or animal abuse requires that animals be provided four things by individuals or organizations:
- Adequate food and water
- Adequate space for exercise
- A reasonably clean living area, free of excess waste
- An environment with air temperature suitable for the animal
I agree with CDBee, they need a taste of their own neglect..............
I don't have words for this, I can't believe those in charge of caring for these animals could have done such a horrible horrible thing to them. Â My pets are part of my family, they will never suffer like this. Â Those 'people' need to have the same thing done to them, lock em in tiny cages, no restrooms, stale bread and little water, lets see how long they last. Â This is just so disgusting it's unreal.
I pray and hope that these people get a lot of prison time for this.Â
KATU, Â Do these rescue facilities receive any money from the State or receive donations so they can operate the facility? I am just wondering if they used this as a scheme to collect money.Â
 @Wendy Gee Magee I know you're not asking me, but many of these so-called rescues receive private donations but since they are not registered as 501(3)c corporations donations are not tax deductible so not very many people donate. Here in southern CA, many shelters will not allow "rescues" to pull dogs as "rescues" unless they have 501(3)c corporate status.
@tart of darkness @Wendy Gee Magee How sad that mot of the dogs were brought here from California high kill shelters.
 @tart of darkness Â
Just wondering if you are aware that many (most?) of the dogs in the legitimate rescue shelters here in the metro area come from So. Cal. because there are too few options to kill shelters down there.
It is good this was finally shut down, but HOW Â long did this go on until someone reported it? Â I have heard it was going on quite awhile. : ( Â There are more places like this out there in other fake dog/cat/bird/herp/etc. rescues; I hope they all get investigated.
Too often people who call themselves rescuers end up as hoarders. It takes a mental illness to be able to look at animals in that condition and still believe you are helping them.
 @ormom And too often, people who want to dump animals tell themselves that any rescue is better than none, so they enable these hoarders to get lots of dogs. If their dogs are not spayed or neutered when they are dumped, they add to the hoarding misery. The best way to keep dogs out of shelters and dubious rescues is to not dump dogs there.