More animal abuse charges for accused Porter County dog hoarder
By Erin Guerra Post-Tribune correspondent February 15, 2012 2:24PM
Donna Montoya. | Provided Photo~Sun-Times Media ptmet
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Updated: March 17, 2012 10:21AM
On Wednesday, 20 more adult dogs and three puppies were seized from Donna Montoya as she was arrested on numerous animal-abuse charges.
This makes a total of 105 dogs that Porter County Sheriff’s Police and Animal Control officers have removed since January from the house at 190 E. County Road 1400N in Westchester Township near Chesterton.
She is being held without bond at the Porter County Jail until her initial appearance before Superior Court Judge Julia Jent.
This latest group of dogs was in better condition than those seized previously. “They look pretty good. They’re not as traumatized as the ones we took in, in January,” said Jon Thomas, interim director of the Porter County Animal Shelter.
Montoya was arrested on a warrant for 11 counts of neglect of an animal and three counts of harboring a nonimmunized dog; all are misdemeanors.
On Jan. 11 and 12, police served a search warrant at Montoya’s home after neighbors complained of the number of dogs and conditions inside and outside of the house, including their worries that feces may be contaminating water in the area. The warrant outlined a lack of food, water and vaccinations, and the problems of diseased dogs and the animals attacking each other. Montoya had relinquished seven puppies to the animal shelter the week before, and officials seized 75 dogs in the two days. Three people were bitten in the process.
From the first group of dogs, some have since been adopted and others were euthanized — although Thomas would not say how many — because they could not be socialized to the point of being safe to be around humans and other animals. Of the first group of animals, approximately 18 remain with Porter and Lake counties’ animal control and another 20 remain with foster families.
The 23 dogs seized Wednesday morning had been left in the home because the number of dogs overwhelmed the temporary shelter and foster families the Porter County Animal Shelter had lined up before the warrant was executed.
While the Porter County Health Department was at the property on Jan. 11, the first day the warrant was executed, it is not known if the home currently is under investigation, said Sgt. Larry LaFlower, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Department.
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