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Animal-rights group protests case of animal cruelty
BOARDMAN
As Debbie and Dustin Dellick, both of Boardman, stood before a judge in Mahoning County Area Court here, a crowd there Tuesday to protest their alleged actions sat quietly in the courtroom.
Debbie, 59, and Dustin, 29, each are charged with two counts of animal cruelty after an incident in May in which township police found a dog in extremely poor health at their Crestline Place residence. Officials with Animal Charity Humane Society pressed charges against the two.
Police responded to the residence May 15 to assist the fire department with an incident in which a man, reportedly an associate of Dustin’s, had overdosed on drugs. After the male was revived, police found a dog in “very poor health” in the house, according to a police report.
The Dellicks pleaded not guilty. A judge set a recognizance bond of $1,500 for each of them.
A group of protesters gathered outside the courthouse on Market Street at 7:30 a.m. before the court appearance. Group members said they were there to fight for justice for Bella, the dog who now is in the custody of Animal Charity.
Jason Cooke, an animal-rights activist who previously was head of Animal Charity, said when officials found the dog, the animal was close to death.
“She couldn’t even move; she was in so much pain,” said Cooke, who has seven rescue dogs at his own home. “She needed assistance, and they allegedly did nothing.”
The group, which is affiliated with an organization called Nitro’s Army that opposes animal abuse, shows up for all Mahoning County cases involving animal abuse or neglect, Cooke said.
“These people need to be made accountable,” he said. “Animals deserve justice. They’re victims, just like anybody else.”
Cooke said although these types of cases typically don’t result in jail time, that’s the outcome he’d like to see, along with “permanently prohibiting either of these individuals from harboring, owning or caring for another animal.”
Cooke says although Bella’s fur has not yet regrown and she is still recovering, her temperament is as if she were never neglected.
“Any dog I’ve dealt with for a cruelty case, they very quickly realize they’re safe,” he said. “They just want to be loved.”
Animal Charity is looking for a permanent home for Bella. For information about adoption, call 330-788-1064 or visit Animal Charity at 4140 Market St.
The Dellicks are scheduled to be back in court for a pretrial August 4.