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Paulding County attorney faces cruelty to animal charges


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Makes me wonder who the judge was that let him keep the rest of the dogs and what kind of relationship the two have.

 

I guess it's who you know in this county.

 

 

DOH! It is and always has been

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I dont understand how he can be charged with one count of cruelty when there were multiple animals. Should be one count per animal. Sounds like its a matter of figuring out what animal welfare organization outside Paulding is contacted and gets involved to ensure that justice is served for those poor dogs.

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As I read the story, he locked them up in the trailer overnight. The big issue was that he wasn't back by the morning to let them out when the sun began shining on the trailer.

 

I'm unclear whether the animals being kept in the trailer overnight in moderate temperatures (60-70 degrees F) would invoke the cruelty charges? Provided the animals were quiet, what is the difference between them in 3x5 foot cages in a vets office overnight and the bunch/family/pack being in an 120 square-foot room (the 8 x 15 trailer) provided they were watered and fed? No one would have complained in the animals were in his house or other similar sized room or shelter overnight.

 

Hence, the issue is the sun and lack of ventilation in the trailer which didn't become an issue until sometime after 10 a.m. Sunday morning and became a bigger issue as the clock ticked toward the afternoon heat.

 

I would suspect that something kept him from returning home earlier that morning. While I would not speculate what that was, I find it sad that he didn't have a friend or neighbor he could call to let the animals out on a leash until he could return.

 

I do think he would have been better off if the the trailer were inside a fenced yard with the dogs having access out to the yard. But from the photo, there was no fenced yard. I further suspect that he normally kept the animals inside with him but that they had probably disabused him of leaving them overnight in the house alone (how many leather sofas in the trash heap would it take.)

 

It was definitely a lapse in judgment - there is no excuse and he should have tried harder, much harder, to protect his animals. This was an unmitigated tragedy but it would not necessarily be depraved and wanton act depending on the reason he failed to return early in the morning. For instance, we don't know if he had been called to the hospital in Macon because his son had been taken there after collapsing at a little league baseball game and he couldn't get back any quicker ... or called to his dying mothers' bedside and he couldn't leave?

 

The point being we don't know the reason but I suspect that if he appeared to officers to be hungover after a bender, they would have been more likely to have charged him with multiple counts. I wouldn't think that the seemingly light charges filed were because he knew someone.

 

We don't know enough of the story to rush to the judgments that I've seen here and the charges laid by LEO tells me they probably do know more than we do.

 

pubby

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Sounds like you are making excuses for Bowers, there's no excuse for what he did. You seen the size of that trailor and put big dogs in with puppies no water no ventilation is unacceptable. I personally hope he goes to jail it is a felony now on animal abuse. But with this being in Paulding he will probably just get slapped on the hand with it still being a good ole boy county!!

Edited by bowevel
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Sounds like you are making excuses for Bowers, there's no excuse for what he did. You seen the size of that trailor and put big dogs in with puppies no water no ventilation is unacceptable. I personally hope he goes to jail it is a felony now on animal abuse. But with this being in Paulding he will probably just get slapped on the hand with it still being a good ole boy county!!

 

I'm not making excuses; I'm saying we don't know and we especially don't know enough to convict ...

 

It doesn't look good but until there is more known, I'm not grabbing my rope and looking for a mighty oak.

 

pubby

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I am sorry Pubby but there is no excuse for his actions. He should have at least put water if not food in with them. If like you say there may have been an emergency come up that kept him away, nothing else he could have called the PCSO and appraised them of the problem if not a neighbor or friend. For Christ sake he is an Attorney and he should be able to think on his feet.

Edited by grumps
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This really needs to go viral and I hope the court of public opinion provides justice for these dogs... Karma.....

 

I can think of no reason to ever house dogs in a trailer. It doesnt look he had a fence. He should be charged for that too.

Edited by Rose Luxemburg
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Animals need a source of water available to them at all times. It doesn't matter what the temperature is. Dogs have paws, not hands. They can't fill up their water bowl at the kitchen sink by themselves. They rely on us to do it for them and trust that we will. It's a crying shame those dogs ended up with someone that either doesn't know that or didn't care.

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These animals are huge. The adults between 100 and 150. My pyr's neck fur or mane is easily 6 inches thick.

That trailer was crowded with animals of their size. Their respiration alone probably kept the temp at 100 degrees overnight.

I was told the house in the picture was not his nor the trailer and dogs shown. It was stock photos representing a trailer and pyrs.

It hurts me to look at my gentle giant that pants at 70 degrees and think what these animals suffered.

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Good Gawd pubby, you've got an excuse for everyone. He must be your friend.

 

Never met the guy in my life. I'm actually judging the PCSO which I don't think is that stupid. Maybe they are ... (more below)

Animals need a source of water available to them at all times. It doesn't matter what the temperature is. Dogs have paws, not hands. They can't fill up their water bowl at the kitchen sink by themselves. They rely on us to do it for them and trust that we will. It's a crying shame those dogs ended up with someone that either doesn't know that or didn't care.

Absolutely they need water but the fact that they had no water when they were found doesn't mean there wasn't water available to begin.

 

It could well be the guy could be guilty of extreme cruelty but then my judgment comes back on the SO for downplaying it with misdemeanor cruelty charges.

 

All I'm doing is reading the charges and assuming that the SO has a reason for not nailing the guy ... like mitigating circumstances.

 

I just don't buy it that they are treating the guy with kid gloves because he has a law license and that somehow makes him special.

 

I think the logical reason to suggest that they're not throwing the book at him because he answered LEO questions reasonably suggesting there may have been something quasi-understandable that the public doesn't know.

 

Don't claim that he is special and knows folks and is getting a bye on the deal without speculating, at least, why he got off so easy.

 

Or, go ahead and raise the question and blame the sheriff ... because if the charges aren't right, at this point it is his office (or possibly the County Marshall's office?) that is at fault.

 

But I don't know the guy and I'm assuming, because it is most logical, that the charges reflect the seriously of the crime ... and if it doesn't, then the agency that brought the charges is at fault.

 

pubby

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I'm unclear whether the animals being kept in the trailer overnight in moderate temperatures (60-70 degrees F) would invoke the cruelty charges? Provided the animals were quiet, what is the difference between them in 3x5 foot cages in a vets office overnight and the bunch/family/pack being in an 120 square-foot room (the 8 x 15 trailer) provided they were watered and fed? No one would have complained in the animals were in his house or other similar sized room or shelter.

pubby

Ventilation and tha ability to keep cool.

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I'm not saying get a rope and hang him from the nearest oak, I'm saying his ass should go to jail he should have 9 charges of animal cruelty 4 for causing the death of animals he should never be allowed to own another animal like I said what he did was unacceptable all lives matter doesn't matter if they have 4 paws or 2 legs

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I am the neighbor who called 911 and animal control. He indeed does have a fenced in back yard and an empty house he could have put them in. He arrived back at his house at 1pm in the afternoon!! I am still shocked he only got one charge. ..the officer told me when I was speaking to him that it wasn't going to be good for him...well 1 misdemeanor charge is a slap on the wrist.

Edited by melnsid
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These animals are huge. The adults between 100 and 150. My pyr's neck fur or mane is easily 6 inches thick.

That trailer was crowded with animals of their size. Their respiration alone probably kept the temp at 100 degrees overnight.

I was told the house in the picture was not his nor the trailer and dogs shown. It was stock photos representing a trailer and pyrs.

It hurts me to look at my gentle giant that pants at 70 degrees and think what these animals suffered.

The house was his wife's (they lived there together for awhile). The trailer was his. The dogs they showed in the video were not his..they were showing what the breed looks like.

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I am the neighbor who called 911 and animal control. He indeed does have a fenced in back yard and an empty house he could have put them in. He arrived back at his house at 1pm in the afternoon!! I am still shocked he only got one charge. ..the officer told me when I was speaking to him that it wasn't going to be good for him...well 1 misdemeanor charge is a slap on the wrist.

 

Maybe he plays golf with the Judge..........

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Here is Jeff's response to Fox 5. He posted something similar on his farm's Facebook page (which the page has sense been taken down).

 

Attorney Jeff Bowers issued a statement Friday evening to FOX 5 after he turned himself in Thursday morning on a count of cruelty to animals.

In the statement, Bowers said, “Last Saturday evening I brought our dogs from our family farm to our property in Dallas to stay temporarily overnight in a secure trailer. Contrary to some media reports, the trailer had water and ventilation. I returned the next day to move our dogs from the trailer. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to save four of our dogs.”

Bowers goes on to say, “This tragedy has affected my family and me greatly. I have fully cooperated with Paulding County authorities, and wanted to express my thanks for your continued support and prayers.”

 

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/29129077/attorney-arrested

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The house was his wife's (they lived there together for awhile). The trailer was his. The dogs they showed in the video were not his..they were showing what the breed looks like.

Thanks, one of their current neighbors had said they did not live in that house Thanks for correcting me.

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I am the neighbor who called 911 and animal control. He indeed does have a fenced in back yard and an empty house he could have put them in. He arrived back at his house at 1pm in the afternoon!! I am still shocked he only got one charge. ..the officer told me when I was speaking to him that it wasn't going to be good for him...well 1 misdemeanor charge is a slap on the wrist.

Thank you for calling and getting help for those babies.

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Thanks, one of their current neighbors had said they did not live in that house Thanks for correcting me.

It was their house..they just hadn't lived there recently. They still own it though. My previous post made it sound like there are still living there. Sorry

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Was this guy a backyard breeder? Was this his primary means for transporting these animals? Were they lose inside the trailer or crated? Most reputable rescues and breeders I have known have large cargo vans to properly transport animals. I have zero sympathy for this guy.

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So according to his statement, he moved the dogs from his farm and put them in a trailer in the driveway of a house that although he owned it, no one lived there. Why? What was wrong with leaving them on the farm or placing the trailer at a home where someone actually lived who could check on them or take care of them as needed? Or what's wrong with boarding them at the kennel. That's where my dogs go if I 'm not home overnight. For me, his statement poses more questions than it answers. I know where the house is, it's not too far from where I live. There is an awesome kennel nearby that I use. If I can afford it, I'm sure a real estate attorney can afford to put his dogs up there for the night.

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I am the neighbor who called 911 and animal control. He indeed does have a fenced in back yard and an empty house he could have put them in. He arrived back at his house at 1pm in the afternoon!! I am still shocked he only got one charge. ..the officer told me when I was speaking to him that it wasn't going to be good for him...well 1 misdemeanor charge is a slap on the wrist.

:good: :clapping: Good for you, I'm glad you realized that there was a problem and we're neighbors.

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Here is Jeff's response to Fox 5. He posted something similar on his farm's Facebook page (which the page has sense been taken down).

 

Attorney Jeff Bowers issued a statement Friday evening to FOX 5 after he turned himself in Thursday morning on a count of cruelty to animals.

 

In the statement, Bowers said, “Last Saturday evening I brought our dogs from our family farm to our property in Dallas to stay temporarily overnight in a secure trailer. Contrary to some media reports, the trailer had water and ventilation. I returned the next day to move our dogs from the trailer. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to save four of our dogs.”

 

Bowers goes on to say, “This tragedy has affected my family and me greatly. I have fully cooperated with Paulding County authorities, and wanted to express my thanks for your continued support and prayers.”

 

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/29129077/attorney-arrested

Why on earth would you bring 9 giant dogs from a farm and put them in a tiny trailer? And with it being SOOOOO full, where was the room for the water bowl without being spilled or all used up in a very short amount of time? Also, I can see the trailer and the only 'venilation' is a tiny door on the top of the trailer. His response is absurd, IMO.

Edited by momof 3
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The report said the trailer had no windows. Let's lock him in it overnight until mid-afternoon and see how he does. If it was no big deal then how did the dogs die?

Wonderful idea!

I'd just add that he has to wear a fur coat the whole time.

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So these dogs were in this trailer for 17 hours and no one had bothered to let them out to go to the bathroom? I am just shaking my head and what he thought these dogs were going to be like after being left in there for that period of time? There was probably a big mess in there. I am glad a neighbor called. No telling what would have happened to the remainder of the dogs still alive. Would they have been vetted or anger taken out on them for soiling the trailer?

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I dont understand how he can be charged with one count of cruelty when there were multiple animals. Should be one count per animal. Sounds like its a matter of figuring out what animal welfare organization outside Paulding is contacted and gets involved to ensure that justice is served for those poor dogs.

Paulding county sheriff's did try to get 9 counts but the judge would only give him one. I believe it was the new judge that starts with a V.

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Paulding county sheriff's did try to get 9 counts but the judge would only give him one. I believe it was the new judge that starts with a V.

Has this judge ever decided like this before? Perhaps he's too new for us to know. I just wondered if anybody employed outside the "system" has ever been given this break.

 

Sorry to the cops that tried to nail him. That must be frustrating. Nail the guy, witness all of it, do the right thing, and the judge slaps him on the wrist.

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All states I believe have made animal cruelty a felony. If this is indeed correct, why did he get a misdemeanor and only 1 charge at that? He had a problem with 1 or 2 dogs getting out in his.farm and I heard 1 of them.attacked another dog. So he wanted to re home them sunday. So he choose to put them in the trailer saturday evening and didn't come back until 1pm sunday. It was a horrific scence. My husband and another neighbor tried to help and husband told him to call for help..he chose not to..so I did. Why he could have opened the windows in his empty house and put them inside is baffling to me.

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This is just another example of how f******* up Paulding County is!!!!! Does this judge have any connection to this man? I have read of cases where individuals become overwhelmed with the responsibilities associated of so many animals and accidents and atrocities just happen..... It sounds like someone besides the new judge needs to be handling this? How can we assure justice is served in this case for these poor animals? I feel like calling the national ASPCA to see if they can do anything!

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