Target: Diana L. Moers, Prosecuting Attorney of Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Goal: Prosecute to the fullest extent of the law the couple charged with 14 counts of animal abandonment and neglect, and ensure the woman’s reported history of animals dying in her care is fully considered during prosecution and sentencing.
Officers responding to an animal neglect report allegedly found dogs living in waterlogged wire crates inside a tent that was being heated by a space heater so dangerously positioned that officers noted if it had fallen over, it would have set the tent ablaze — and the dogs, sealed in their crates, could not have escaped. Officers also noted the blankets lining the crate floors were soaked through and the ground had standing water. Three dogs were found in the tented outdoor area, and a total of nine dogs, were eventually located across two properties, along with a cat and her kittens. Officers also reportedly discovered drug paraphernalia and unprescribed pills inside the apartment, raising further concerns about the environment these animals inhabited. Both accused were arrested and booked into the county jail.
Particularly alarming is what police say about one of the accused’s history: authorities reported that in the past, she had had multiple animals in her possession and most died for unknown reasons. When officers initially arrived at her apartment, she allegedly refused to allow them entry and claimed the dogs were elsewhere — directing officers to her boyfriend’s address. This alleged pattern of concealment, combined with a history of unexplained animal deaths, demands that prosecutors pursue this case with the utmost seriousness.
Indiana’s animal neglect and abandonment statutes provide for criminal accountability in exactly these circumstances, and the Vanderburgh County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office must pursue all 14 counts with the full force of the law. Demand full prosecution and the strongest available sentencing for both accused.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Prosecuting Attorney Moers,
We are writing to urge your office to pursue the maximum available penalties under Indiana law against the couple charged with 14 counts of animal abandonment and neglect following the alleged discovery of dogs kept in waterlogged crates inside a tent containing a dangerously positioned space heater. Officers reportedly determined that if the heater had fallen, the tent would have caught fire — and the dogs, sealed in their crates, could not have escaped. Nine dogs in total were found across two properties, along with a cat and her kittens, all allegedly kept in conditions incompatible with their basic safety and welfare.
We are particularly concerned by the reported history of one of the accused: police have stated that in the past, she reportedly had multiple animals in her possession and most allegedly died for unknown reasons. This reported pattern, combined with the allegedly dangerous conditions in which the current animals were found and the purported initial attempt to deny police access to the premises, suggests a sustained and serious disregard for animal welfare that demands the full prosecutorial attention of your office. The accused’s prior history of alleged unexplained animal deaths must be considered in both the prosecution strategy and any sentencing recommendation.
We respectfully but firmly demand that your office pursue conviction and the maximum available sentencing on all 14 counts of animal abandonment and neglect. These animals allegedly lived in soaked crates beside a fire hazard with no means of escape — it is now the justice system’s responsibility to speak for them.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Impact Dog Crates
