Animal cruelty defendant pleads

A Middleburg woman arrested in December 2021 for 42 counts of animal cruelty and five counts of aggravated animal cruelty signed a plea agreement Monday, agreeing to serve five years’ probation.

Jennifer Michelle Wilkie will also not possess pets or animals of any kind and will not be involved in animal breeding, according to the plea agreement’s terms.

County officials rescued 266 animals from the property, including dogs, chickens, rabbits, goats, turtles, a duck and a goose.

The five aggravated animal cruelty charges arose from:

-1- A goat named Basil found on the property that was too weak to walk and required a blood transfusion. Animal services workers euthanized the goat after its condition worsened because of an intestinal parasite. “Routine deworming, good nutrition, and hoof care may have prevented the suffering and ultimate euthanasia of Basil,” deputies wrote in the affidavit.

-2- An adult female dachshund found dehydrated and with severe dental disease. The dog gave birth to six puppies the day after being rescued. Two of the pups died.  The other two dogs had to be bottle-fed because the mother could not produce milk. “Like most of the confiscated dogs,” deputies wrote in the affidavit.  she had significant dental disease that required dental scaling with extractions along with her sterilization surgery.”

-3- “Thimble,” an adult female potbelly mix pig that was emaciated, blind, covered in skin crusts, and was not using her right hind limb. The animal was diagnosed with scabies or sarcoptic mange on skin scrape and started treatment. “Due to her injury, lack of vision, and scarcity of food and water at the property where she was seized,” deputies wrote, “she was most likely unable to get access to any food which contributed to her extremely poor body condition.” Officers added that Radiographs of her right hind limb revealed an old injury to her hip. “Prompt treatment of her injury, scabies and access to adequate food and water would have prevented the condition that she was in and suffering that she experienced,” deputies wrote.

-4- “Thumper, an adult male American Fuzzy Lop rabbit emaciated with significantly matted fur and overgrown claws due to lack of grooming and coat care. “Like all of the long-haired rabbits,” deputies wrote, “Thumper needed the matted fur shaved off as it contributed to irritated skin and fecal matting around the anus.”

-5-“Stormy,” an approximately 8 to 10-year-old Doberman whom Clay County Animal Services recently acquired as part of a cruelty case. “When Stormy was first seen by (animal services),” deputies wrote, “she was severely underweight, was blind, had mammary cancer, a skin infection, an ear infection, numerous skin tumors, was dehydrated, and very weak.” Animal Services transferred the dog to Clay Humane for intensive care, and at the time of the warrant, the animal was still receiving treatment.