CASE OF INTEREST

Date: September 22, 2003
Case: People v. Kathy and Reed Carman
Contact: Keri Sternberg, Felony Trial Team
Telephone: (916) 874-8980

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that Kathy and Reed Carman both plead Guilty to eleven Felony counts and one Misdemeanor count of animal cruelty. As a condition of the pleas and over the People’s objection, the court promised that Kathy Carman would receive one year in the county jail and that Reed Carman would receive no more than one year in the county jail. Both defendants will receive five years probation and be ordered not to engage in any business involving the care of animals. Because of Kathy Carman’s prior animal cruelty conviction, the lack of care and compassion she has shown towards animals in this case, as well as her behavior in defying the courts order not to possess or sell animals during the pendency of this case, the People were asking that Mrs. Carman receive three years and four months in state prison.

The defendants are co-owners of The Puppy Store. From November 2002 through February 2003, Sacramento Animal Control investigated The Puppy Store after receiving several complaints from employees and customers about the conditions of the store. Officers found the store to be overcrowded and filthy. The puppies were housed too many per cage, there was feces, blood and urine inside the cages and most of the puppies were visibly ill. In addition to the sick puppies, Animal Control found several dead puppies at the store and at the Carman residence tied up in garbage bags. Animal Control closed the store and seized over two hundred puppies. Several of the seized puppies died from the parvovirus. Others were nursed back to health by Animal Control veterinarians and have since found loving homes.

Mrs. Carman is no stranger to being investigated by animal control. From 1994 to 1997, Mrs. Carman had over forty contacts by Sonoma County Animal Control for similar complaints of mistreatment of animals. During several of these contacts she was advised by Animal Control on how to care for the animals. After the Carman’s arrest for this case and an order by the court not to possess or sell animals, they were both arrested in Arkansas transporting over forty puppies in their van. Again, the puppies were housed in deplorable conditions; the van was overcrowded and filthy. The puppies were packed into cages so small, they could not move around.

Deputy District Attorney Keri Sternberg stated “ the defendants continuing abuse and neglect of animals and failure to follow court orders shows that they have not learned their lesson. The mistreatment of animals is something that the District Attorney’s Office and the Community takes seriously. We do not feel this sentence is enough to impress upon the defendants the severity of their conduct.”

Sentencing is scheduled for October 24, 2003 at 2:00 p.m. before the Honorable Jane Ure in Department 61.

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