A 77-year-old Arizona woman is facing forty-three counts of felony animal cruelty charges after complaints of animal hoarding at two separate residences led law enforcement officers to discover the homes in a filthy condition.
The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Animal Enforcement Division has been receiving complaints of animal hoarding at two different homes situated in the Dolan Springs area. The complaints include some of the animals running at large and attacking livestock in the neighborhood.
Upon investigating the complaints, officers found that the two homes were both being utilized by a 77-year-old woman named Betty Lynne Fuchsel. According to the sheriff’s office, the elderly woman refused to comply or appear in court after receiving multiple citations for the violations.
Consequently, an arrest warrant was issued for Fuchsel and she was taken into custody on January 11th. Following her arrest, a search warrant was obtained for Fuchsel's properties. Upon entering both premises, deputies reported finding the floors covered with feces, trash, and urine. Deputies found several dogs locked up inside the homes and in vehicles on the properties. The animals have no access to food or water and were found to be emaciated, according to deputies.
In total, deputies seized forty-three dogs found in different stages of neglect during the search of the properties. The 43 dogs were handed over to the Mohave County Animal Shelter. According to the sheriff's office, several of the animals were taken to receive emergency veterinarian care
As for Betty Lynn Fuchsel, she was charged with a class 5 felony, the most serious animal cruelty charge in Arizona, punishable by over two years in state prison according to Shouse Arizona Law Group.
