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LISBON -- An East Palestine woman who had 21 animals seized from her home earlier this year for unsanitary conditions received a suspended 90-day jail term, no fine and will have two cats returned to her.
Jennifer Albert, 39, West Main Street, appeared in Columbiana County Municipal Court Monday morning with her defense attorney Frank Williams for a pretrial which turned into a plea and sentencing in the criminal case.
Albert pleaded no contest and was found guilty of one count of prohibitions concerning companion animals, with three additional counts of the same misdemeanor charge dismissed.
Judge Danielle Menning sentenced her to 90 days in the county jail, but suspended all 90 days, leaving no time for her to serve. She received no fine, but had to pay court costs totaling $173 and was placed on probation according to terms set by the attorney for the Columbiana County Humane Society.
Menning signed the agreed-upon additional orders for 36 months of non-reporting probation with four conditions outlined on the entry.
The Columbiana County Humane Society shall return two spayed/neutered cats to Albert upon satisfaction that her home has returned to sanitary and humane conditions.
According to the order, she "shall not own, care for, or live at a residence with animals other than the two returned cats, all of which shall be kept in a humane, sanitary and lawful manner."
She will also be subject to random inspections by a humane agent or other law enforcement agent of any place where she keeps animals to ensure the good condition of the two cats and to provide education to her on humane care.
Finally, she forfeits all bonds paid to the Columbiana County Humane Society.
As of June, when the judge denied her request to stay the payments, she had already paid more than $18,900 for the care of all the animals for two months.
The county Humane Society was represented by their own attorney DanaMarie Panella, who prosecuted the case.
The original affidavit said animals were found at Albert's address on April 3 "in conditions of extreme filth, causing suffering, lack of grooming and ear mites. Defendant admitted to being the owner and caretaker."
The affidavit was filed by another attorney representing the county Humane Society, J. Jeffrey Holland. Humane Agent Fabian Pike reported previously that 18 cats, two rabbits and one dog were seized from the residence for unsanitary conditions.
According to the complaints, from Feb. 1 to April 3, Albert was the custodian or caretaker of the animals and "did negligently torture, torment, or commit an act of cruelty against the companion animal."
A report by Pike was included in the case file regarding the day he responded, accompanied by East Palestine police officers. He noted that conditions within the residence were severe enough that his eyes began to water upon entry. He described in detail what he found inside, with the two rabbits in cages and the dog on a couch with a patch of hair missing. After leaving, he returned and found more cats than what he found initially.