Apr. 23—Authorities allegedly found last week that a Norman couple charged in 2021 with animal cruelty has since mistreated even more animals.
Norman Animal Welfare workers and the Oklahoma game warden on April 12 searched property in the 5700 block of East Robinson Street. According to an April 19 application for bond hearing, Aaron Stachmus and Bryson Anglin had allegedly mistreated at least 202 animals, including parrots, draft horses, bulldogs and African tortoise hatchlings, at the property at the time of the search.
Stachmus and Anglin were charged in 2021 with 18 counts of animal cruelty in Cleveland County District Court after Norman police seized more than 300 animals from their property.
Neither Stachmus nor Anglin were in the Cleveland County jail roster Friday. Charges have not yet been filed in connection with the search, according to court records.
Authorities removed 168 animals from the property in the latest search, including emu chicks, ostrich chicks, ducks, French bulldogs, hairless cats, African tortoise hatchlings and two draft horses. Stachmus and Anglin allegedly kept them without adequate food, shelter and veterinary care, the application states.
They also found two macaws missing feathers and without access to food or water, 30-40 baby chickens in a crowded space without food or water and two more draft horses each missing eyes, the application states.
“If the court finds that any of the animals have been abused, neglected, deprived of veterinary care to prevent suffering or treated cruelly according to [state law], the City of Norman requests immediate forfeiture of the animals to the City and require the owners or persons having charge or custody of the animals to post a security bond” that would include medical care and housing for the animals, the application states.
Stachmus, Anglin and Mark Wayne Parker were charged with animal cruelty in connection with NPD’s April 2021 raid of a farm at East Rock Creek Road, where they were allegedly keeping animals. Among the animals at the farm, police found 17 lemurs, 12 camels and five kangaroos without proper access to medical care or food.
Stachmus posted bond July 19, 2021, according to court records.
Many of the animals removed from the farm in the April 2021 raid were given to qualified caretakers, including Bat World Sanctuary in North Texas and the Oklahoma City Zoo, in the following months.
Bat World president Amanda Lollar told The Transcript last fall the bats were some of the most frightened the sanctuary has received.