A couple, who pleaded guilty to animal cruelty after agents removed 43 animals from their property, avoided jail time as they were sentenced.
A Miamisburg municipal court judge put 37 year old Joshua Gaul and 35 year old Amy Driscoll on probation and ordered them to pay the humane society for the animals that were removed and are being adopted.
The investigation began back on June 16 at their farm in Germantown.
Police and humane society agents both made trips there after receiving multiple complaints.
They then returned a week later with a search warrant.
That’s when humane agents described dozens of animals living in deplorable conditions.
The humane society said many of the animals were malnourished, had little to no fresh food, were provided unclean water and some animals stalls were full of feces.
Agents removed 43 including a cows, goats, sheep, rabbits, peacocks, chicken and geese.
“The whole idea is to protect animals, that’s the humane society’s goal. For the city, the city of Germantown that’s our goal,” Thomas Schiff, law director for the city of Germantown said.
Schiff believes the judges rulings are the best outcome.
Gaul and Driscoll were sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation on the condition they not be found guilty of violating any care conditions for farm animals and that humane society agents be allowed to inspect the property at any reasonable time they request.
The couple will retain two horses, a mule and a donkey.