Polk County News
6A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • March 29, 2017
Independence woman pleads guilty to animal neglect
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — Donna Dovey,
of Independence, pleaded
guilty Thursday to two
counts of animal neglect as
part of an agreement with
the court, Sheriff Mark Gar-
ton said.
Dovey was charged with
22 counts of animal neg-
lect — one for every animal
she kept on leased property
on Pedee Creek Road.
“Part of the agreement
was to forfeit all the animals
to us, which she did, and
pay restitution,” Garton
said. “We’ve put in about
$12,000 so far.”
Dovey had 16 horses,
three llamas and goats on
the property. The level of
neglect varied between ani-
mals.
The poor condition of
some of the animals weren’t
necessarily from something
Dovey caused, Garton said,
but she didn’t fix it, either.
“We have rehomed all of
the horses,” he said. “We’re
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going to put seven of them
down for various reasons,
according to the veterinar-
ian we use. They’re going
to Wildlife Safari in Win-
ston.”
Garton said the horse
community would rather
have horses used some-
where rather than be eutha-
nized and put in the
garbage.
Of the three llamas, one
has already found a home,
Garton said.
“Llamas are pretty good if
you have three or four hors-
es,” he said. “They’re protec-
tor-guardian type animals.”
One goat remains to be
homed, a half pigmy, half
feinting goat.
Also part of the agree-
ment, Dovey cannot own
domestic animals for five
years and has 30 to 60 days
to find homes for those she
currently owns.
“People are saying she has
another field of horses,”
Garton said. “We’ll follow up
as well. She’s trying to re-
home those. It’s tough.”
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