Anderson Farm owners appear in court on criminal animal mistreatment charges
(ABC 6 News) – Le Roy dog breeders accused of animal mistreatment pleaded not guilty on all charges in Fillmore County Court Thursday, May 16.
Donald Anderson and Elham Alayyoub, the owners of LeRoy business Anderson Farm, were charged March 19 with 9 counts of overwork/mistreat animals each, after the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office seized 15 dogs and puppies from allegedly inhumane conditions.
The criminal case began just days after most of the German Shepherds were adopted out from the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley.
Judge Jeremy Clinefelter, who heard the Anderson Farm owners’ civil case against the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office, also presided over their arraignments Thursday.
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Brett Corson, representing the state, requested that the Anderson Farm owners be assigned $1,000 bail or be banned from raising and owning any animals until the matter was sentenced.
“I certainly understand the sentiment in requesting,” Clinefelter said, “But I don’t understand how animal welfare has any standing on the general public safety.”
Zach Bauer, representing Donald Anderson, said there were no animals at Anderson Farm as of Thursday.
Clinefelter assigned Alayyoub and Anderson no bail or conditions of release.
A pretrial hearing for Alayyoub was set Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 9 a.m., followed by Anderson’s pretrial hearing at 9:15 a.m.