Bunkie area couple charged with animal cruelty

A Bunkie area man and woman have been charged with 30 counts each of felony cruelty to animals following the Feb. 19 investigation by Humane Society of Louisiana (HSL) staff and Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies.

Maxine and Gordan Doughty are accused of keeping the 15 dogs and 15 cats in “squalid conditions” in a “hoarding situation” at their home on La. Hwy 3041 -- between Hessmer and Bunkie.

The Humane Society also enlisted the aid of the St. Landry Animal Control agency and local veterinarian Dr. John Fletcher in its seizure and evaluation of the animals.

In August 2016 almost 40 cats and dogs were removed from the Doughty’s property. They were charged with one count of animal cruelty and placed in a diversion program in that case, the HSL said. More recently Maxine Doughty was cited for animal cruelty when parish deputies responded to a complaint on Jan. 19.

The Doughtys were booked into Avoyelles Detention Center #1 in Marksville on Feb. 21 -- third offense animal cruelty for Maxine Doughty and second offense for Gordon Doughty. They were released on $10,000 bond each.

OVERCROWDED CAGES

A HSL staff member who participated in the raid said the animals were kept in rusty and overcrowded cages. The animals’ waste was several inches high in some places, he noted.

“Trash, debris, toys, supplies, clothes, tools and equipment were piled up to the ceiling in every room of the house and also littered the front, side and back yard,” the Humane Society said in a news release.

APSO Chief Deputy Maj. Steve Martel said deputies met with HSL volunteers on Feb. 19 and went to the Doughty residence to investigate a citizen’s complaint.

The Doughtys voluntarily granted access to enable a veterinarian to inspect the animals.

“It was determined that the 15 dogs and 15 cats were not properly housed and were in severe need of medical attention,” Martel said.

He said the owners were asked to voluntarily surrender the animals, “which they did.”

The animals were taken to a local veterinary clinic for more thorough evaluations and medical treatment.

The HSL is asking the district attorney to seek strict penalties, including fines, court costs and restitution.

“The Humane Society and its partnering agencies expect to spend thousands of dollars to treat and house the 30 animals rescued from this hoarding situation before they can be made available for adoption,” the press release noted.

“These animals had been neglected for a very long time,” HSL Director Jeff Dorson said. “We hope that we will one day obtain an order from the courts that will prevent this couple from ever owning or harboring any animal in the future. They need to get out of the animal housing business.”

Dorson said three shelters have stepped forward to assist in housing and caring for the animals until they can be adopted.

The Humane Society of West Louisiana in DeRidder took the small terriers and many of the cats, he said.

St. Landry Animal Control in Opelousas took the rest of the cats and mid-sized dogs.

“We, in New Orleans, took five large dogs,” Dorson added.

He said the New Orleans shelter will be posting photos of those dogs “because we have received several calls from people whose dogs have gone missing. We are hoping to get some reunions out of this.”

ABOUT HUMANE SOCIETY

The Humane Society of Louisiana is one of the largest animal protection agencies in the state and operates the Enoch J. Donaldson Animal Sanctuary in Mt. Hermon.

For more information on its programs or services, please visit its Facebook page, call 1-888-6-HUMANE (1-888-648-6263) or visit its website at www.humanela.org.

To make a donation to help care for these 30 animals and others that have been mistreated, go to the website, Facebook page or mail the check or money order to P,O, Box 740321, New Orleans, LA 70174.