An Eagle River woman faces two dozen animal cruelty charges after emaciated sled dogs and unfed rabbits were found at her home early last month, Anchorage police said.

An Animal Control officer went to Jenny L. Bailey's home on Prudhoe Bay Drive to investigate a report of animal neglect. The officer found 11 sled dogs with ribs, hips and backbones visible in houses outside and 11 underweight rabbits in hutches, police said. Two other rabbits were dead.

From the condition of the snow around the dog yard and kennels, the officer concluded that no one had attempted to feed or water the animals for days. The dogs were examined and found to weigh between 26 to 33 pounds, and one was taken to an emergency veterinary clinic for what police described as life-saving medical attention.  Two other dogs, a cat and a rabbit living indoors were in good health.

The sled dogs and rabbits are being cared for at the Anchorage Animal Care and Control Center, and all have regained some weight, police said. The dogs now weigh between 44 and 61 pounds.

Bailey, 43, was charged with 24 counts of animal cruelty and has been cited for inappropriate facility standards and care and sanitation.

Update 2/6/07:  An Eagle River woman charged with 24 counts of animal cruelty failed to show up in court to enter a plea but sent her lawyer to plead on her behalf.

Trial for Jenny L. Bailey, 43, will be scheduled in April.

At first, it appeared Bailey had blown off her court appearance and District Court Judge Nancy Nolan issued a warrant for her arrest.  But in misdemeanor cases, defendants don't have to show in person. When Bailey's attorney, Andrew Lambert, ultimately appeared and pleaded not guilty on all counts, the arrest warrant went away, said court officials.

Anchorage authorities responded to a report of animal neglect at Bailey's home in January and found 11 emaciated sled dogs without food or water, 11 underweight rabbits, two dead rabbits and one chicken in need of care.

When found, the Alaskan Huskies, with ribs, hip and back bones protruding from thick fur, weighed between 26 and 33 pounds, according to Anchorage Police.

There was enough dog food in the house on Prudhoe Bay Avenue, police said, but there were no tracks leading to the dog yard, suggesting they had not been fed for some time.  "I don't believe it was for lack of resources," Martin said.

Bailey told the city she had asthma and couldn't get out to feed the dogs for a couple of days, Martin said. But there was no sign of feces around them, indicating that they had not eaten for a long time, Martin said.

The animals still belong to Bailey, but a judge could turn them over to Animal Control, which could put them up for adoption, Martin said. It is up to the court to decide what to do with them.

Eagle River residents Kurt and Joan Thor, who befriended Bailey last fall, alerted Animal Control to the case the day before authorities visited the property on Jan. 2. They said Bailey painted for a living, and had not mushed for years.

Joan said she hung out with Bailey for four days just before New Year's, which is why she knew Bailey had not fed her dogs. Joan said she even offered to feed them herself, but Bailey told her to mind her own business.

When Joan found out how skinny the dogs were, she bawled, she said.  "I didn't know it was that bad," Joan said. She said she last saw Bailey five days ago when they ran into each other at a bar.  Joan said Bailey was angry because the Thors turned her in.

Bailey also kept two dogs, a cat and a rabbit indoors. Those pets were found in good health and were not impounded.

Since authorities don't know where Bailey is, and a concerned neighbor hasn't seen or heard from her in many days, Animal care officers visited the site to check on the remaining animals. A man who identified himself as Bailey's boyfriend said the dogs are at a vet's for boarding and he was caring for the others, according to Martin. The man would not disclose Bailey's whereabouts, she said.

Update 5/18/07:  An Eagle River woman on Thursday pleaded no contest to animal cruelty charges and agreed to two months in jail, a city prosecutor said.

Jenny Bailey, 44, was convicted of six counts of animal cruelty against dogs and two counts of animal cruelty against rabbits, said assistant municipal prosecutor Vennie Nemecek after the afternoon proceeding.

District Court Judge Nancy Nolan also ordered Bailey to pay a fine of $3,500 and restitution to the city of $10,000.  Bailey is also not permitted to own any animals for five years, Nemecek said.

The city's Animal Care and Control Center reported expenses of $20,000 in medical and other costs after it seized the emaciated animals.

The animals were confiscated and animal control subsequently adopted out all but two dogs that had to be put down for behavioral problems, said spokeswoman Maria Martin.

Bailey was ordered to report for her jail time in November.

Reference:

Anchorage Daily News