PEYTON, Colo. (KOAA) — A Colorado woman at the center of an animal cruelty case has pleaded guilty to 15 of the more than 250 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty filed against her.
This past summer, the Delta County Sheriff's office says it seized more than 160 dogs and 95 cats in various stages of distress from the home of 78-year-old Barbara Bowman from Delta.
We showed you this video of the dogs arriving at National Mill Dog Rescue in Peyton.
NMDR's Director of Operations, Sarah Thompson, told me they got a call from the Colorado Bureau of Animal Protection to help rescue animals involved in an animal cruelty investigation at a dog breeder's home on the western slope.
Thompson said many of the dogs had to be immediately groomed, because of how matted their fur was.
"Inside the hair were maggots and rodent feces," said Thompson. "But worse than just the matting is they were living in kind of a sludge. It was kind of mucky, muddy. If they had a water bowl with anything in it, it was usually some kind of sludgy mess, very mucky. Food was kind of just scattered on top of feces that had been compacted over a very long time it looked like."
Bowman has now pleaded guilty to 15 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty. Each count carries a maximum sentence of up to 364 days in jail, and/or $1,000 in fines, and anger management treatment programs at the judge's discretion. She is scheduled to be sentenced in January.
I reached out to Bowman for comment at a number associated with her but have not received a response. Her attorney has not replied to my request for comment.
NMDR's Thompson tells me they still have nearly thirty dogs from the case waiting to be adopted. Thompson sent the following statement upon learning the news that Bowman had pleaded guilty to only 15 of the more than 250 counts of animal cruelty:
"National Mill Dog Rescue is saddened by the circumstances that led to this case and the suffering endured by the dogs involved. We recognize the recent guilty plea as an important step toward accountability and, most importantly, toward healing for the animals who were affected.
Our hearts remain with the dogs who survived this experience. They are now safe, receiving medical care, and learning what it means to be loved and valued. Every one of them represents both the resilience of animals and the ongoing need for compassion and vigilance in protecting their welfare.
While this situation is deeply disappointing, we believe it also offers a moment for reflection and change. We hope it serves as a reminder of the importance of humane breeding practices and responsible care for all animals.
National Mill Dog Rescue remains committed to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming dogs from commercial breeding operations and to advocating for a future where no animal endures such neglect again."
The Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA) Program licenses dog breeding facilities in Colorado. A spokesperson tells me Bowman's license was revoked in September for a minimum of two years.
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