A hearing will be held in November to determine whether dozens of dogs and livestock involved in an animal hoarding case will be put up for adoption after being removed from a Sonoma property last year.
To this day, most of the animals remain in Sonoma County’s custody amid an ongoing court battle over whether they should be returned to Gilman and Barbara Parsons.
According to a petition filed last year by the Sonoma County Department of Health Services, dogs were without food and water, and living in areas covered in urine and feces. Livestock were underweight and also without food and water.
Aside from four dogs and a cat that were returned in April, officials say the county is caring for 27 dogs, 63 sheep, 46 chickens, 18 ducks, four turkeys, two horses and two llamas.
“It was the whole farm, basically,” Brian Whipple, Sonoma County director of animal services, told The Press Democrat on Sept. 12.
The Parsonses could not be reached and their attorney, James Arrasmith, did not return The Press Democrat’s requests for comment on the case.
Nearly $350,000 has gone toward caring for the animals, county officials said.
Following months of proceedings in Sonoma County civil court, a judge ruled Aug. 28 that the county should have custody of the animals. This would have opened them to adoption and permanent homes.
The ruling was issued by default because the defendants failed to file a response to the county’s petition and pay necessary fees, according to court records.
Arrasmith has challenged the decision, however, as he argued he and the defendants sought a resolution to the case and have consistently been involved in proceedings.
“It is extremely concerning that a forfeiture has been imposed when all parties, witnesses and counsel were present in court, ready to proceed with the trial,” Arrasmith wrote in a motion to set aside the judgment.
He’s filed several such motions since Aug. 28, and county counsel argue Arrasmith is using improper tactics to continue proceedings, including constantly requesting different judges.
“Respondents have not acted diligently and in good faith throughout this litigation as per their argument on their moving papers. In fact, it has been nothing but procedural manipulation and falsities,” Deputy County Counsel Holly Rickett wrote in response to the latest motion.
A judge then ruled Sept. 23 to set aside the judgment. The matter is now scheduled to go to trial Nov. 19.
Court records show an investigation began around Nov. 19 when Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies were looking into an unrelated matter at the Parsons’ property on Lovall Valley Road.
While there, deputies made a “late night” request to animal services officials for an animal welfare check over “serious neglect and possible need of intervention,” according to court documents.
They state Sonoma County animal services officers discovered “an unbelievable amount of filth and other deplorable conditions” that included dog urine and feces in each room of the house.
“Dogs in crates were located in disgusting and unhealthy conditions,” according to the document. “Some of the animal services officers described trying not to vomit while inside the residence and the living conditions of the dogs were some of the worst they had ever seen.”
Officials spent two days rounding up 32 dogs on the 5-acre property, which included a 5-month-old puppy and dogs as old as11 years old, Whipple said.
There, according to court records, officials then discovered the “extraordinary number of livestock” crammed into pens, huts, fences, barns and coops.
Most were without food and water and were “medically underweight,” the brief states.
Sheep had not been sheared and one had a collar embedded in its neck, Whipple said.
On Nov. 22, the court records show, a county-contracted veterinarian gave the Parsonses recommendations to care for the animals.
There was no sign of improvements during a second inspection Nov. 28 and all livestock were seized by Dec. 5.
Dogs are being held at the county Animal Services facility on Century Court and the livestock are living on private farms.
The animals gained weight within their first few weeks in county custody. The dogs are ready for adoption, though Whipple said some may need additional socializing.
The matter was forwarded to the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office for review of possible criminal charges. As of Monday, officials there said the case was still being reviewed.
In regard to the Parsonses, Whipple said, “I don’t think they were intentionally doing anything wrong, but they weren’t doing everything right.”
You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi
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