John Wareham/Mount Vernon News
Kristin Beaupry, right, and her mother, Joyce Meisenhelder, left, were sentenced on animal cruelty charges Friday in Licking County Municipal Court. Beaupry still has charges pending in Knox County, stemming from her operating Pittie Paw rescue.
NEWARK — A Centerburg woman and her mother who ran animal rescue operations in both Licking and Knox Counties were sentenced by Judge David N. Stansbury in Licking County Municipal Court Friday on animal cruelty charges.
Kristin Beaupry, 24, who ran Pittie Paw rescue, and her mother, Joyce Meisenhelder, 43, were both sentenced on three charges that stemmed from the mistreatment of 23 cats and kittens in 2018.
Beaupry and Meisenhelder were both given individual sentences of 180 days in county jail - with 170 of them suspended - and three years probation. They were also both assessed small fines per count, ordered to pay $2,001.95 in restitution to the Licking County Humane Society and barred from owning or managing another rescue business.
The pair was arrested and charged after the grisly discovery in August of 2018 of 21 malnourished and mistreated live cats and two dead ones in a trailer that was neglected and without proper food and water for the animals.
Licking County Humane agent Paula Evans spoke before Beaupry and Meisenhelder were sentenced about the squalor of the conditions and mistreatment of the cats, some of which were kittens and some that had recently given birth.
Beaupry is charged in Knox County with six counts of prohibitions concerning companion animals and one count of cruelty to animals. The charges are expected to be dropped after Beaupry agrees to permanently abandon her ability to hold an animal rescue license, Knox County Prosecuting Attorney Chip McConville said.
The charges stem from Beaupry’s operating the Pittie Paw rescue in Butler Township. The dogs from the rescue were taken under a court order to the Knox County Animal Shelter by the dog warden in September of last year.
Beaupry voluntarily surrendered custody of most of the dogs, but sought to keep 13. Dog Warden John Carhart said Friday Beaupry has surrendered the last of the dogs.
The dogs are being assessed for temperament by professional trainers, Carhart said. Beaupry has told Carhart the dogs are vicious and can not be adopted.
“The (assessment process) is underway as we speak and will determine each individual dog’s outcome,” Carhart said. “We are leaning less toward adoption and more toward rescues. We’re doing our best to make sure they get a fair shake.”
The dogs will be held until Beaupry’s next hearing in court March 4.
