Judge orders West Plains woman to stay away from pets

WEST PLAINS, Mo. (AP) -- A southwest Missouri woman has been ordered to stay away from animals after pleading guilty to misdemeanor abuse charges.

Martaun L. Middleton, 50, of rural West Plains admitted to 15 misdemeanor counts of animal abuse during an appearance Wednesday in Howell County Circuit Court. Under the plea agreement, three felony counts were reduced to misdemeanors and sentencing was deferred.

The judge sentenced Middleton to one year in jail but gave her credit for time served, allowing her to begin unsupervised probation. The judge also forbid Middleton from possessing any animals, or from being in any home where animals reside. She also was ordered to undergo counseling.

Middleton was charged last July after state officials raided her home and removed more than 200 dogs. Investigators with the Missouri Department of Agriculture's Animal Care Facilities Act Program, which inspects each facility for licensing, said they also found several dead dogs and a dead horse on Middleton's 20-acre property.

Authorities said Middleton was breeding a variety of dogs, including Cocker Spaniels, Yorkshire Terriers, Pomeranians, Shelties, Shi-Tzus, Dachshunds and Schnauzers. It did not appear that she was selling them, however, leading authorities to speculate she was a "hoarder" and just liked having many dogs.