Texas Woman May Never Be Tried for Abusing Animals
How does this happen? The Victoria Advocate reported that two women in Bloomington, Texas, were indicted on 11 third-degree animal cruelty felonies in January of 2023 but one woman may never be tried.
Terri Ellis and Karissa Salinas had posed on social media as animal rescuers; instead, the animals under their care were dying of malnutrition, dehydration and mistreatment. Investigators found a gruesome scene of dead cat and dog carcasses.
The home where the animals were kept was covered in animal feces, garbage, bones and bodies in various stages of decomposition. The article described the state of the home as so horrific that one dog skeleton even had its jawbone stuck to the kennel's bars - as if the dog was trying to chew its way out before dying.
The mistreatment was not only inside the house, the investigators found remains of cats and dogs strewn around the backyard of the house, including the remains of reportedly Ellis' pet German Shepard in a garbage bag with a telephone cord around its neck.
Many of the decomposing animals still had collars around their necks. According to the article, "the smell and stench of death was so horrific that an investigator had to later seek medical care."
The abuse was not contained to just one home. The investigators went to a trailer about a mile from the home and found large garbage bags full of dead animals.
The two accused, Ellis and Salinas, have yet to have their court hearing because Ellis is gravely ill, and both cases are on hold if Ellis' condition improves.