Dogs seized from rescue facility are 'evidence,' Third arrest made
SALEM, Ore. - Police arrested a third person in connection to the over 140 neglected dogs that were seized from an animal rescue facility in Marion County.
The dogs removed from Willamette Valley Animal Rescue in Brooks are still considered 'evidence' and will not be up for adoption anytime soon, if at all.
Investigators said most of the animals were suffering from neglect, were malnourished and were being kept in filthy and overcrowded conditions.
Saturday, Marion county sheriff's deputies arrested Merissa Noonan, 21, of Woodburn in connection with the abuse. Noonan surrendered at the Marion County Jail, deputies said. She faces 149 counts of animal neglect.
Police initially arrested Alicia Inglish, 24, was arrested and charged with 120 counts of animal neglect and one count of tampering with evidence.
On Friday, police arrested Amanda Noelle Oakley as a second person involved in the abuse. She was charged with 149 counts of animal neglect and lodged at the Marion County jail.
Oakley served as the secretary and board member for the facility until she resigned on Jan. 10, or three days before police served a search warrant of the facility.
The facility drew attention after a worker with the Oregon Humane Society received reports of problems with an adoption of a dog and was told that the place seemed more like a hoarding situation.
Code enforcement officers tried to work with the rescue facility to resolve the complaints but received no cooperation from those running the rescue organization. The facility also refused to work with the Oregon Humane Society. That's when the sheriff's office stepped in to remove the dogs.
Don Thomson, spokesperson for the Marion County Sheriff's Office, said that it appeared that many of the dogs were fed stale bread. Elsewhere on the property, dogs ran free or huddled in small runs and the facility itself was fouled with feces and urine.
"Many of the dogs appeared to be extremely underweight and suffering from starvation and malnutrition," Thomson said. "Others appeared sick and some had their eyes sealed shut with body fluids."
Thomson said more arrests are expected as the investigation progresses.
Officials have named Merissa Marie Noonan, 21 of Salem, as a third suspect in the neglect case, citing probable cause. Sheriff's deputies said that they have been unable to find Noonan during their investigation.
Police describe Noonan as a white female, 5 foot, 7inches, 150 pounds, with light brown wavy shoulder length hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact Deputy Huitt at dhuitt@co.marion.or.us or call the Marion County Sheriff's Office (refer to MCSO case# 13-00324).
The sheriff's office said they have received a number of inquiries about the dogs and whether they will be up for adoption. Right now, the dogs are part of the investigation and adoptions are not open.
Thomson said that he is unsure of what will become of the dogs. The dogs could be available in a few weeks or months, or not at all, he said.
Those who want to help out in some way can donate to the organizations involved in the care of the dogs.
Those who have adopted a dog from Willamette Valley Animal Rescue in the past are asked to call Thomson at (503) 932-8002 or send him an email at Dthomson@co.marion.or.us.
If you were in the process of adopting one of the dogs that was seized, contact the Oregon Humane Society, the Willamette Humane Society and/or Marion County Dog Control to see if the dog you were adopting is still available. At that point, you will be required to follow the organization's regular adoption process.
Many folks have been wondering whether there are laws requiring inspections of rescue facilities. The sheriff's office said there is no specific law that authorizes such inspections, but the Oregon law dealing with neglect and/or animal abuse requires that animals be provided four things by individuals or organizations:
- Adequate food and water
- Adequate space for exercise
- A reasonably clean living area, free of excess waste
- An environment with air temperature suitable for the animal
If they had gone to the Humane Society, SPCA, or PETA. the would be dead already, they don't hoard, they just kill, as fast as they can, sometimes before you can leave the parking lot. The mistakes these young folks made was caring, they cared, their critics want them to kill and will prosecute them for not killing.
That is B.S. If they cared, they would have gone to donors. Contacted other rescue facilities! This is just unbelievable that these young girls with no experience were left in control of helpless animals. The should, by this age know that they could not take care of them. I love dogs with all my heart but thank God that they were not taking care of babies!!!
 @Fancy Jack You say that the mistakes made was that they cared to much, well I can tell you this if they cared so much they would not have let this get so out of hand. When they did get out of control and the complaints started coming other groups offered to come in and help they refused all help or to allow them into the facility...that is not care that is hoarding
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@Bankids They know that when the others offer to help, they are just offering to kill.
 @Fancy Jack Sometimes the dogs are better off dead. Can you imagine the misery they must have experienced being locked in a small crate with other dogs? Your nuts if you think that is better than death.
 @Michael Michaels  @Fancy Jack When people take an animal, domesticated or wild and tame them, teach them to be dependent on human interaction, daily comforts and necessities, we have an obligation to care for them for the rest of their lives, not euthanize them or "set them free" (unless it by their own nature and ability) because they happen to become burdensome, or inconvenient. There is no reason they should not be available for adoption, unless they are too sick or traumatized for placement.
@PleaseBeSmart ---I think you are psychic OR an Orion Blue EBE (AKA Extra- Biological Entity). If you listen to Jefferson Airplane's "LATHER" song (Grace Slick narrative), you will heare him splurge rather drunkenly the pronunciative "EB" in the middle of the song Irish/scottish drumbeat to war anthemical dirge.. ENJOY this song and think of Stonehenge! ZZZZZZ my bedtime. Later prodigy babe!
 @peace I think you've drank too much again, peace. =P
@PleaseBeSmart @catzmeow ---in a perfect world on the farm, the old dogs could mate and make a litter of cute puppies...don't we all miss that?
Still a lot of farms out there in the US for us to run to no matter how bad the economy gets. Sure wish we had more brilliant Good Ol' Girls like PBS guiding us with her comments.
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 @catzmeow In a perfect world, of course. Unfortunately, this isn't a perfect world and there are far too many pets to be reasonably cared for. There are finite resources. No one wants to euthanize a dog, but tough choices have to be made.
@Michael Michaels Share that thinking with the Jews that survived the liquidation camps in Germany, I am sure they will embrace your compassion.
@Fancy Jack ---I have to agree with you FJ. As much as i want some humans dead, I would let dogs suffer as much as possible if there were some chance to keep them alive. Perhaps, that was what the hoarding human female felt at that time.
"Judge not, lest ye Be judged your honor"---Tom Chong (AKA Jesus Christ).
â....will not be up for adoption anytime soon, if at all....."
"....The dogs could be available in a few weeks or months, or not at all...."
So what is to become of them if they wonât be available to adopt out?
What is to become of them is the fact that putting them down would be better than lettting them suffer til the end. Let's put the caretakers in cages, not clean them and feed them stale bread! An eye for an eye!
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 @angelgabe They will do what PETA does as a matter of daily business, just kill them. The money these organizations solicit is used to advance political purposes. They could give a rats behind about the animals. Remember what the "Humane" society did to Keiko the whale?
 @angelgabe Termination of life.