Prineville woman charged after suffering, dead rabbits found

(Update: Adding that other animals were OK and not seized)

A 37-year-old Prineville woman faces numerous counts of first-degree animal neglect after more than two-dozen rabbits were found at her home, seven of them dead and many others infected or ailing due to lack of proper care and feeding, police said Monday.

An animal abuse complaint led to an investigation Feb. 3 of several violations of city ordinances at a home in the 700 block of Northwest Seventh Street, Capt. Larry Seymour said.

The resident and owner of the animals was identified as Kara Madison.

Seymour said an investigation involving a chicken, goat, cats, numerous dogs and a “plethora” of rabbits, “it was determined that Kara Madison had failed to provide the proper care for almost all of the rabbits,” Seymour said in a news release.

Officers found bedding covered with feces, extended periods of no water or food, missing hair, various types of infections and disease to the point several animals died, Seymour said.

The infections caused loss of vision and hair, open wounds and disease. Some animals were so starved they began eating their own feces to survive, he said.

Police documented the conditions and seized 18 live rabbits and seven dead ones, one of which was sent for a necropsy.

After the initial investigation, Madison was arrested on first-degree animal abuse and neglect charges, taken to the Crook County Jail and given a condition release, pending a later court date.

A grand jury indicted Madison Feb. 23 on nine counts of first-degree animal neglect. Court records show she pleaded not guilty to the charges Feb. 27 and a trial readiness hearing is set for March 15, along with motion hearings March 19 and 20.

Seymour said all of the surviving rabbits were taken in by the Humane Society of the Ochocos, which was able to care for house and provide medical attention to them.

Working with the district attorney’s office and the humane society, police were able to secure forfeiture of the rabbits taken in by the shelter, which as of last week are allowed to be re-homed.

The police captain encouraged “anyone willing and able” to adopt a pet rabbit or donate to the Humane Society of the Ochocos, a nonprofit run mostly on donations and fundraisers.

Seymour said the other animals were not removed as they didn’t appear to be suffering any issues and there was food and water accessible to them. He said police are following up to make sure she is in compliance with city ordinances regulating junk, parking and animal/livestock possession.