Accident – death – Obituary News :

Teacher and Wife Found Guilty of Animal Cruelty After Dog Found Dead and Overheated

Overview

In a recent court ruling, James Lemley, a teacher with the Van Buren School District, and his wife Ashley Lemley, were convicted of two counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals. The charges were brought against them after police discovered the lifeless body of one dog and another suffering from overheating at their residence during the summer.

Verdict and Sentencing

Following a trial at the Crawford County District Court on November 29, both James and Ashley Lemley were found guilty and sentenced to one day in jail. Additionally, they were ordered to pay fines and court costs totaling $640 for each count of animal cruelty.

Arrest and Pleas

The Lemleys were arrested on July 17 based on a report from the Van Buren Police Department. They entered not guilty pleas on July 25, according to court records.

James Lemley’s Professional Affiliations

James Lemley is currently listed as a teacher at Northridge Middle School in Van Buren. Furthermore, he was identified as the varsity boys golf coach according to the Van Buren High School athletics website as of August 15.

Statement from the Van Buren School District

Brittany Ransom, the communications and media consultant for the Van Buren School District, provided an emailed statement stating that the district is aware of a staff member being convicted of animal cruelty charges. Due to privacy laws regarding personnel matters, the district refrained from making any further comments.

Details of the Incident

According to the police report, an officer responded to a call on June 25 from a woman who reported her neighbors’ negligence towards two dogs in their backyard. She informed the officer that she had been providing water to the dogs for the past four days. Sadly, one of the dogs had passed away during this time. The woman’s father mentioned that he had seen the neighbors go outside approximately four days ago but noticed no care being given to the dogs.

Upon entering the yard, the officer observed a chain-link dog pen in a deteriorated state, offering no protection or shade from the direct sunlight. The ambient temperature exceeded 100 degrees. Furthermore, the officer discovered a deceased Great Pyrenees dog positioned closely against a wooden surface, indicating its desperate attempt to seek shade before succumbing to the heat.

The officer also found a chocolate Labrador retriever inside a plastic dog house, struggling to find shade due to the placement of the dog house. The dog was severely overheated, struggling to breathe, and had an engorged and dry tongue.

Although the residents were not present at the time, James and Ashley Lemley were identified as the owners of the dogs. An officer from Van Buren Animal Control confirmed that the dogs had escaped from the pen multiple times and were familiar with the residence.

Animal Control took custody of the Labrador and placed it under emergency care.

James Lemley’s Defense

In a supplemental report, it was mentioned that James Lemley contacted an officer on July 10. During the conversation, he defended himself regarding the Great Pyrenees’ death, claiming that he had fed the dog twice a day. He also stated that he and Ashley Lemley had left town on June 21, instructing someone to feed the dogs every other day.

Terms and Conditions

As part of the court order, James and Ashley Lemley have the option to suspend $890 of the fines and court costs if they adhere to specific terms and conditions. These conditions include:

• Surrendering the Labrador to Almost Home Shelter and Rescue in Van Buren for adoption
• Paying $818 to cover the veterinary bills incurred by Almost Home up to the date of the trial, for the care and treatment of the dog
• Not adopting or owning any animals for a period of one year

If the Lemleys comply with these conditions, they may petition the court to seal the record of their convictions after a year, as stated in the court order.

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