Clay Davenport
Cerebral Nomad
A battle of experts continues today in the trial of a couple charged with animal cruelty.
John Wilkinson, 55, of 182 Harris St., and his former wife, Cynthia Wilkinson, 52, of 178 Harris St., are charged with animal cruelty after Battle Creek police said they found 70 animals, many of them exotic, living in filthy conditions without adequate water or food in the Wilkinsons' homes.
"What is going to be the big issue," Assistant Calhoun County Prosecutor Sarah Lincoln told a District Court jury, "is whether they were being properly cared for. Some are saying yes, and some are saying no."
John Wilkinson is charged with three counts of animal cruelty and Cynthia Wilkinson with two counts. Both face up to 93 days in jail and fines of $1,000 if convicted.
Testimony continues today before District Judge Frank Line.
The couple were charged after police went to the homes Aug. 2 as part of a firearms investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives against John Wilkinson. He has not been charged in that case.
But officers said they found the animals — including snakes, a snapping turtle, birds, fish, ferrets, rabbits and chickens — in unsanitary conditions.
"They were filthy," Animal Control Officer Ronda Burgess told Lincoln about cages holding between 20 and 30 snakes. "They apparently had not been cleaned in some time."
Later during cross examination by Defense Attorney Richard Pattison, Burgess said "when I go into a house that smells so bad my eyes are burning, then I think there is a problem. I took all the animals for the welfare of the animals."
Burgess said she found cages filled with feces and most without water. But she admitted to Pattison that she didn't know much about caring for exotic animals.
"That's why we consulted with people who know about animals," she said.
The city called in several experts from Binder Park Zoo and the surrounding area, and some of them will testify at the trial.
Dr. Jeff LaHuis, a veterinarian at the Dickman Road Animal Veterinary at 455 W. Dickman Road, said he saw animals living in poor conditions without food and water.
LaHuis said one rabbit he inspected "was not eating and was very thin. If you took the fur off, you were looking at a stick figure."
Dr. John Patterson, a veterinarian at Michigan State University, conducted a necropsy on the rabbit, which died a few days after it was seized.
Patterson said the rabbit died from starvation, and while eating problems could be attributed to the stress of being moved the week before it died, its condition had been deteriorating three to four weeks.
Teresa Moran of Lansing, an expert on snakes, said she took temporary custody of 16 snakes from the house and she found they were living in cages and tanks that were too small, were dirty and were lacking water.
"Some looked like they had not been cleaned in weeks, if not longer," she said.
Pattison told the jury in his opening statement that he would call veterinarians who would testify that the conditions were fine for the animals.
"All the questions will be answered so that it will convince you that Mr. Wilkinson knows what he is doing," Pattison said.
"This case is about the government visiting terrible damage on the animals and families living there," he said. "They did a terrible disservice to my clients, their beloved animals and the community.
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John Wilkinson, 55, of 182 Harris St., and his former wife, Cynthia Wilkinson, 52, of 178 Harris St., are charged with animal cruelty after Battle Creek police said they found 70 animals, many of them exotic, living in filthy conditions without adequate water or food in the Wilkinsons' homes.
"What is going to be the big issue," Assistant Calhoun County Prosecutor Sarah Lincoln told a District Court jury, "is whether they were being properly cared for. Some are saying yes, and some are saying no."
John Wilkinson is charged with three counts of animal cruelty and Cynthia Wilkinson with two counts. Both face up to 93 days in jail and fines of $1,000 if convicted.
Testimony continues today before District Judge Frank Line.
The couple were charged after police went to the homes Aug. 2 as part of a firearms investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives against John Wilkinson. He has not been charged in that case.
But officers said they found the animals — including snakes, a snapping turtle, birds, fish, ferrets, rabbits and chickens — in unsanitary conditions.
"They were filthy," Animal Control Officer Ronda Burgess told Lincoln about cages holding between 20 and 30 snakes. "They apparently had not been cleaned in some time."
Later during cross examination by Defense Attorney Richard Pattison, Burgess said "when I go into a house that smells so bad my eyes are burning, then I think there is a problem. I took all the animals for the welfare of the animals."
Burgess said she found cages filled with feces and most without water. But she admitted to Pattison that she didn't know much about caring for exotic animals.
"That's why we consulted with people who know about animals," she said.
The city called in several experts from Binder Park Zoo and the surrounding area, and some of them will testify at the trial.
Dr. Jeff LaHuis, a veterinarian at the Dickman Road Animal Veterinary at 455 W. Dickman Road, said he saw animals living in poor conditions without food and water.
LaHuis said one rabbit he inspected "was not eating and was very thin. If you took the fur off, you were looking at a stick figure."
Dr. John Patterson, a veterinarian at Michigan State University, conducted a necropsy on the rabbit, which died a few days after it was seized.
Patterson said the rabbit died from starvation, and while eating problems could be attributed to the stress of being moved the week before it died, its condition had been deteriorating three to four weeks.
Teresa Moran of Lansing, an expert on snakes, said she took temporary custody of 16 snakes from the house and she found they were living in cages and tanks that were too small, were dirty and were lacking water.
"Some looked like they had not been cleaned in weeks, if not longer," she said.
Pattison told the jury in his opening statement that he would call veterinarians who would testify that the conditions were fine for the animals.
"All the questions will be answered so that it will convince you that Mr. Wilkinson knows what he is doing," Pattison said.
"This case is about the government visiting terrible damage on the animals and families living there," he said. "They did a terrible disservice to my clients, their beloved animals and the community.
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