Patrick County Woman Pleads Guilty Following Seizure of Dozens of Dogs from Her Sham Rescue
Ararat, Va. — Patrick County resident Betty Sue Haynes pleaded guilty in court today to two counts of cruelty to animals for failing to provide adequate care to animals. The charges against her came after PETA, the Patrick County Sheriff’s Office, and several other animal protection groups removed nearly 50 dogs and puppies from Haynes’ “rescue” facility, Save A Mutt Rescue. Video from the day of the rescue is available here.
Haynes was charged with two counts of failure to provide adequate care to animals after rescuers—prompted by a tip to PETA—found dogs caged outside in harsh winter weather without adequate shelter, shade, food, or water, some suffering from untreated health conditions. One charge concerns Sunny Girl, a dog found “scared, lethargic… emaciated” with severe hair loss, ulcerated wounds, skin and ear infections, and “severe inflammation everywhere,” according to veterinary records. Rescuers found her in a filthy, feces-filled pen with a bucket of black, fetid water. The other charge concerns Wellington, a dehydrated, unweaned puppy found in critical condition, dehydrated and with a distended abdomen. Wellington was confined to a pen with his malnourished mother, who was depleted and couldn’t nurse him.
During Haynes’ trial, evidence was presented that—despite signing a legally binding agreement to not acquire animals other than the three dogs officials permitted her to keep—she had already acquired additional animals. Judge Joan Ziglar reprimanded Haynes and told her, “This has got to stop,” and advised Haynes to seek psychological counseling. She fined Haynes the maximum $250 per offense, ordered her to relinquish all dogs currently in her custody by 5 p.m. today, and barred Haynes from owning companion animals for at least a year.
“This hoarder confined dogs and puppies in filthy makeshift cages and pens without drinkable water, shelter, shade or even a kind touch, while misleadingly referring to her disgusting operation as a ‘rescue,’” says PETA Senior Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch, who testified for the prosecution. “PETA thanks the Patrick County Sheriff’s Office and Judge Ziglar for taking action on this sad case and urges everyone to always thoroughly vet anyone who calls themselves a ‘rescue’ before donating or turning animals over to them.”
In 2011, Haynes was charged with 68 counts of cruelty to animals when dozens of dogs were found on her property in similar conditions. At the time, despite testimony from an expert veterinarian and animal control officials, the judge took the case under advisement, and Haynes faced no real consequences.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
