Woman pleads not guilty in Mantua Township animal cruelty case involving 146 dead dogs
A Parma woman, reported to be terminally ill, has pleaded not guilty to dozens of misdemeanors in the deaths of 146 dogs at a Mantua Township home she owns.
Barbara A. Wible, 68, was arraigned Monday on 50 counts of first-degree misdemeanor cruelty to companion animals in Portage County Municipal Court in Ravenna. Court records show Wible as defendant on all of the charges, with half of them while doing business as Canine Lifeline, the animal rescue organization Wible led and co-founded.
Judge Kevin Polland set a personal bond for Wible and issued an order that neither she nor Canine Lifeline "should own, possess or care for any animal."
J. Jeffrey Holland, a private practice attorney who is prosecuting the case for the Portage County Animal Protective League, said Wible attended the arraignment via video arraigned he believes she is in a hospital, but he does not know which hospital.
It has been reported, but not confirmed, that Wible has terminal cancer.
Court records also say an attorney representing Wible was not present during her arraignment. Court records in Portage and Cuyahoga County, where Wible is facing felony charges, didn't identified an attorney for her as of Monday.
Wible was charged after the Portage County APL executed a search warrant of a Mantua Township home Wible owns and discovered 146 dogs, all dead, in mid-June. The APL said the dogs showed indications of extensive neglect.
Portage APL Executive Director Chalan Lowry has said the APL opted to charge Wible with misdemeanors, rather than with felonies, due to her reported medical condition. Holland said it is believed this makes it more likely that Wible will survive to the conclusion of the case against her because misdemeanor cases tend to take less time.
Holland said that during her arraignment, Wible did not waive her right to a speedy trial.
Kim Goddard, daughter of the late meteorologist and animal welfare advocate Dick Goddard, has said she believes Wible should be charged with a felony for each dog, if for no other reason than to send a strong message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated.
To that end, Goddard started a petition on Change.org to push for that. As of Monday afternoon, it had more than 1,500 signatures. The petition can be found at https://tinyurl.com/mpwb462a.
Portage County Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci said he would consider filing a separate felony case against Wible, but he needs more information about the APL's investigation before making a decision. Holland said Vigluicci has contacted his office and he is attempting to respond to him.
"I'd be happy to provide him with information," said Holland.
More: Happy ending for Wren: Dog rescued in animal cruelty case with Portage ties gets new home
A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted Wible with 36 counts of fifth-degree felony cruelty to animals last week. The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office said Parma police and fire department responded for a welfare check at a home Wible owns in Parma in early June and found 36 neglected and malnourished dogs in cages in early June. A dozen dogs were dead at the scene and three were euthanized after they were taken to an emergency veterinary clinic. The remaining 21 dogs were taken to an animal shelter.
Wible is scheduled for a July 13 arraignment in Cuyahoga County Court of Common pleas.
Reporter Jeff Saunders can be reached at jsaunders@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Woman pleads not guilty in deaths of 146 dogs in Mantua Township
