By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Huntingdon, Tenn.—Carroll County Circuit Court Judge Donald Parish ordered that the Atwood couple who were charged with hundreds of counts of animal abuse will be banned from owning or possessing animals for 10 years.
Tara Neutzler and Donald Schoenthal appeared in court Wednesday and entered into a plea agreement to the charges of aggravated animal cruelty and animal cruelty.
A court official told WENK/WTPR that the couple also agreed in the plea agreement to surrender their animals from both Carroll and Putnam Counties to the Animal Rescue Corps.
Under the agreement, they each pleaded guilty to one felony and three misdemeanors. They are currently out on bond. The couple will be sentenced in July.
In April of 2018, over 150 animals were seized from their Atwood home and earlier this month another 40 were seized from property they own in Cookeville in Putnam County. In the Carroll County case, some 300 charges had been filed against them.
Animal Rescue Corps Executive Director Tim Woodward said in a statement, this “is an incredible day for the animals. After 409 days, the 149 animals of Operation Noah’s Ark (as well as the 42 from Operation Storm’s End) are free to begin their lives and become part of a loving family. The defendants in this case have entered into a plea deal and surrendered the animals from both cases. I want to express my profound gratitude to the donors, staff, volunteers, partners, and legal team who helped get to this day. I do not have the words to adequately convey what your unwavering commitment to these animals and this organization have meant. Simply, thank you from the bottom of my heart on behalf of these 191 amazing animals.”
Litigation has been ongoing against the couple in Carroll County since the raid at their Atwood home by Animal Rescue Corps and the Carroll County sheriff’s office. Some 150 neglected and sick animals were seized there. In that case, Animal Rescue Corps has been upset with the previous ruling in Carroll County Circuit Court which significantly reduced the bond from $391,994 to $50,000. A large part of the bond was supposed to care for the rescued animals.
Redemption Road Rescue in Jackson is helping care for many of the animals.
Photo: Animal Rescue Corps volunteers celebrate the court ruling. (ARC photo).
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