Target: Debra L. Rusnak, Prosecuting Attorney, Kanawha County, West Virginia
Goal: Fully prosecute allegations that dogs were kept amid feces without food or water while suffering severe mange, malnutrition, and muscle wasting, and seek serious penalties if the charges are proven.
Officers entering a St. Albans residence say they encountered deeply disturbing conditions. Feces covered interior flooring, and a dead rat was found decomposing on the front porch, according to accounts. Multiple dogs inside reportedly suffered from advanced sarcoptic mange, severe malnourishment, and significant skeletal muscle wasting. Investigators claim they found no food or water bowls in the residence.
Authorities arrested homeowners Richard Lee Booker and Sandra May Humphrey on animal-cruelty charges. Investigators allege that the dogs were subjected to prolonged deprivation while living in conditions described in the criminal complaint as unfit for human or animal habitation. Neither defendant has been convicted, and responsibility for the animals’ condition remains to be determined in court.
The rescued dogs were transferred to a county shelter for isolation, medicated bathing, veterinary treatment, and carefully controlled refeeding. Prosecutors should examine veterinary findings, photographs, property evidence, witness statements, and records establishing who allegedly had responsibility for the animals. If the charges are proven beyond a reasonable doubt, seek penalties proportionate to the suffering established by the evidence.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Prosecuting Attorney Rusnak,
Multiple dogs were removed from a residence where officers documented severe sarcoptic mange, malnourishment, skeletal muscle wasting, feces covering the floors, and no food or water bowls. The animals reportedly required medical isolation, medicated treatment, and structured refeeding after their rescue.
Richard Lee Booker and Sandra May Humphrey have been arrested on animal-cruelty charges. Please ensure prosecutors thoroughly review the forensic veterinary evidence, property records, photographs, witness information, and all other admissible material concerning who allegedly had responsibility for the dogs.
If the state proves the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, pursue convictions and serious penalties reflecting the suffering established in court. Dogs found skeletal, diseased, and without basic necessities deserve a rigorous prosecution and meaningful legal accountability for every offense ultimately proven.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: miggslives
