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June
7, 2003
Collie
owners sentenced
After seven long months, Camp Collie soon will be history.
Convicted collie abusers Jon and Athena Harman of Alaska
agreed Friday to relinquish almost all of their 191 animals
and waive their right to appeal, a process that could have
dragged out the case up to 15 more months.
Read
the full story at the Great Falls Tribune
Terms
of Collie owner's sentence (Great Falls Tribune)
June
2, 2003
Jury
returns guilty verdict
A Justice Court jury found Jon and Athena Harman of Alaska
guilty of 180 counts each of animal cruelty Saturday for
transporting a tractor trailerful of 180 animals, mostly
collies, 2,240 miles in filthy and miserable conditions
and denying them food and water. The six-person jury deliberated
less than two hours before returning the unanimous verdict
at 8 p.m.
Read
the full story at the Great Falls Tribune
April
23, 2003
High
court OKs retrial in dog case
Toole County wants collies moved to Great Falls shelter
Montana's
Supreme Court cleared the way Tuesday for a retrial of Alaska
couple Jon and Athena Harman, who face 181 charges of animal
cruelty in the case of the collies in Shelby.
Read
more at the Great Falls Tribune Online
February
5, 2003
Statement
from the American Kennel Club on Collie cruelty case
The American Kennel Club was disappointed to learn about
the mistrial in the animal cruelty case against defendants
Jon Harman and Athena Lethcoe-Harman in Shelby, MT, involving
more than 150 Collies. Along with dog lovers across the
country, we hope the case will be resolved and that justice
will be served in the impending retrial.
The
AKC has been involved in the case since we became aware
of the incident in early November and we have an ongoing
inquiry and interest in this matter. The purpose of the
inquiry is to determine if any AKC rules, regulations or
policies, including the care and conditions of the dogs,
have been violated. If this is the case, appropriate disciplinary
action will be taken.
The
AKC would also like to take this opportunity to extend our
sincere appreciation to the many groups and individual volunteers
whom for the past few months have helped care for the rescued
Collies. Their many efforts, including extremely generous
donations of time and money to feed, groom, exercise and
socialize these dogs are crucial to ensuring that they go
on to become healthy, happy, well-adjusted canine companions.
AKC
Contact: Daisy Oaks, Tel. 212-696-8343
February
1, 2003
County
will retry collie case
Stymied by a mistrial, Toole County will go to court
a second time to try collie owners Jon Harman and Athena
Lethcoe-Harman of Alaska on cruelty-to-animal charges, County
Attorney Merle Raph announced Friday. Read
more at the Great Falls Tribune Online
January
30, 2003
Collie
mistrial declared
A mistrial was declared Wednesday night in the animal
cruelty case involving a truckload of collies discovered
when their Alaska owners tried to cross the Canadian border
into Montana last fall. Read
more at the Great Falls Tribune Online
January
27, 2003
Witnesses
disagree over dogs' transport
The regional head of the Humane Society and a sled dog
racer from Seeley Lake disagreed Friday over whether conditions
in the tractor-trailer used to transport 181 collies and
other animals from Alaska to Montana were cruel and inhumane. Read
more at the Great Falls Tribune Online
December
14, 2002
Collies
in Crisis
A couple, moving from Alaska to a new home in
Arizona, was arrested at the Canadian/US border charged
with animal cruelty. The couple was moving over 170+ dogs
(mostly Collies) and cats in a tractor-trailer. The immigration
and custom officers rescued the animals at the Montana –
Alberta border. These officials turned the dogs and their
owners over to the local sheriff. The scheduled court date
is in the first week of December. The charges of animal
cruelty stem from the lack of basic care. The animals were
dehydrated and starving and in great need of grooming and
veterinarian care. This situation has created a rescue situation
in the little town of Shelby, MT (population 3,200). Read
more... |
