PASCO, Wash.-Criminal animal cruelty charges have been filed against the former management of the Tri-Cities Animal Shelter.
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s Office announced the formal charges against two people and Neo’s Nation Animal Foundation on September 29.
The charges allege that former Neo’s Nation director Rebecca Howard, 46, of Kennewick, and office manager Justin Hernandez, 36, of Pasco, committed animal cruelty while they managed the shelter in 2021.
Howard, Hernandez and Neo’s Nation are no longer associated with the Tri-Cities Animal Shelter.
Multiple employees and volunteers of TCAS became very concerned with the neglect of the cats and dogs under the leadership of Howard and Hernandez according to a press release on the charges from the AG’s Office, and the issues reportedly worsened from summer through fall of 2021.
The charges announced on September 29 include six felonies and 42 misdemeanors stemming from allegations of abuse and neglect at the shelter beginning in January of 2021 when Neo’s Nation assumed management.
In November of 2021 Police served a search warrant at the shelter and found malnourished dogs and crates of cats in a laundry room according to the press release on the charges.
Howard and Hernandez were reportedly in charge of all medical decisions for animals at the shelter and many were sick or suffered from infections according to a shelter employee who spoke to a Detective during the investigation.
Detectives also searched an outbuilding and found stacked crates full of cats, many with respiratory and eye infections according to today’s press release.
If convicted, Howard and Hernandez face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine for each of the two felony charges of first-degree animal cruelty.
Howard and Hernandez also face up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine for each of the 14 gross misdemeanor charges of second-degree animal cruelty according to the AG’s Office.
Additionally, Neo’s Nation faces a fine of up to $500,000 for each of the two felony charges and $250,000 for each of the 14 gross misdemeanors if convicted.
