CORYDON, Indiana — A couple in Corydon, Indiana are facing nearly six dozen animal cruelty charges after authorities found hundreds of animals enclosed in pens.
John Starkey and Savanna Starkey are both facing 58 animal cruelty charges, 29 of which are level 6 felonies. Savanna has also been charged with a misdemeanor for providing false information to police. Both had their bond set at $10,000 each, which they have since paid, according to court records.
According to a probable cause affidavit, on July 29, the Harrison County Police Department responded to a home on Zoar Church Road Northeast to assist Animal Control after someone reported two dogs were loose in a neighbor’s yard.
An animal control officer suspected possible animal neglect after speaking with the dog’s owner and noticing large pens filled with various animals on their property.
In the affidavit, Officer Jason Minton said there were seven dogs, including seven puppies, housed in one pen. Another pen had approximately 10 goats without adequate shelter.
He said another pen – which lacked shade – contained nearly 200 chickens, two geese, approximately four turkey, 15 ducks inside a house in the pen, eight rabbits inside an enclosure, and seven cats.
Horrific living conditions
Minton wrote that the cats were in the same pen as the turkeys, which was “not very large,” and had become infested with fleas. Three of the kittens were also thin, covered in fleas, and had ear mites.
The adult dogs appeared to be in good health, despite being covered in fleas. All seven puppies were thin and lethargic. They also had extended bellies, likely due to worms, Harrison County Animal Control Director Rustie Timberlake said.
“There were so many chickens in such a small enclosure that they began to fight each other,” Minton wrote in the affidavit. “While talking with [the dog owner] near the pen, there were several times one of the geese would peck at the chicks, at one point picking the chick up and tossing it.”
Timberlake told police the living conditions of the animals were poor. He noted that water for the animals was dirty, the enclosure was too small for the number of animals inside, and many of the birds had lost feathers due to fighting.
Authorities also found a white enclosed trailer near the pens with two more small cages filed with chicks and chickens. Several had sores and blood on their feathers from fighting and pecking at each other and were also suffering from feather loss, Minton wrote.
Police received a search warrant to take any neglected animals from the property on July 30. Authorities noted while on the property, animal control officers and the property owner noticed there were less chickens in the pen than there was the day before. The woman speculated the Starkeys may have removed some animals while they were at work.
In total, 191 animals were seized and taken to another property to be properly cared for, court documents said. Indiana State Veterinarians determined some of the animals needed immediate medical attention.
“It was determined that the animals were not being fed enough and there was not sufficient food and water for the animals,” Minton said.
A young dead goat was found during the seizure and two more goats had to be put down due to poor health. Four dead chickens were also found on the property.
‘I can’t let my pets go.’
The dog owner initially told police she didn’t know anything about the animals, saying Savanna Starkey was renting the land from them. After police had examined the animals and left the property on July 29, Minton said the witness called him saying she had lied.
Minton learned that Savanna was at the owner’s home prior to Animal Control showing up.
Savanna allegedly told the woman to say she purchased the animals from her for $1,000 and was making payments on them for a “mini farm.” The woman told another officer that John Starkey had come to the property to clear the land for the animal pens to be set up.
The woman later told police she never bought the animals from Savanna, instead saying Starkey had reached out to her asking if she could rent the land to house her animals.
She told Minton that Savanna asked her to lie about where she got the animals because she was not allowed to own them.
Court records show both Starkeys previously pleaded guilty to two counts of animal cruelty in June.
The property owner agreed to do so to prevent Savanna from going to jail and losing her children, and they needed the extra income. The woman also shared text messages between her and Savanna.
“Animal Control is damned determined I can’t own animals for 2 years but I can’t let my pets go,” Savanna wrote in one text, the affidavit said, later writing, “The second we sign these papers animal control is going to take our animals.” The document said Savanna told the woman that she informed her probation officer that her animals were sold to a friend.
Authorities went to Savanna’s home on July 29 and her probation officer asked if she was hiding animals on another person’s property, to which she responded that she wasn’t.
“Later that afternoon, it was determined that she was in fact harboring/concealing her animals on another property and had not given up ownership,” Minton said.
He said a credit card with Savanna’s name was also found on the ground when authorities seized the nearly 200 animals on July 30.
Both John and Savanna Starkey will be back in court on Sept. 25 at 1:30 p.m.
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