WHO: David Pauli, director, Northern Rockies Regional Office,
The Humane Society of the United States
WHAT: Assisting with community efforts to house and care for
more than 171 dogs and 10 cats confiscated from a semi
tractor-trailer at the Canada/Montana border last Thursday.
David Pauli, director of The HSUS Northern Rockies Regional
Office, is on site coordinating animal care and housing for
these animals suffering from severe dehydration, infections,
malnutrition, dental problems and overall poor coats and
physical conditions.
The couple driving the truck, Alaska residents Lewis Harman,
49 and Athena Ann Lethcoe-Harman, 40, were originally charged
with five counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals. Today,
those charges are being amended to 182 counts of animal cruelty
for the 181 live and one dead animal found in the semi-trailer.
In Montana, animal cruelty is a misdemeanor on first offense
and felony on second offense for acts of deliberate cruelty.
The Harmans face penalties of up to $500 in fines and up to six
months in jail for each misdemeanor count.
The dogs are being housed at the Marias fairgrounds in
Shelby. The cats and puppies are being housed at a private
non-profit facility. A team of county and non-profit agencies
is working around-the-clock to care for these animals. They
include Toole County Search and Rescue, and the Cascade County
and Lewis and Clark County Humane Societies, and Brighteyes
Sanctuary, Montana Animal Care Association and Flathead Animal
Control, which have also contributed equipment and staff.
The HSUS Northern Rockies Animal Health Assessment Fund
hired the initial veterinary team and funded the animal health
assessment. Because this crisis may require housing and
veterinary care for the animals and another four to five
months, a fund has been established to provide care of direct
housing, security and animal care costs. The sheriff's office
will manage the fund.
Toole County Communities Collie Rescue Fund
C/O First State Bank
260 Main St.
Shelby, MT 59474
WHERE: David Pauli can be reached at 406-698-1167 or through
the Northern Rockies office at 406-255-7161.
