Ashley DiFelice is currently being charged for 17 counts of animal cruelty for her actions at the former Twist of Fate "sanctuary". Her next court date is this week, Thursday September 14th.
Originally it was only going to be ONE, a blanket charge for everything, but the sanctuaries that stepped in to clean up the mess and save the surviving animals pressed on and handed in evidence that turned it into 17 charges.
Seventeen is much better than one, but it still isn't nearly enough. Ashley deliberately and purposefully locked animals in barns, sheds, and rooms of the house to starve. She purposefully did not give them food or clean water. Many of them starved to death - which was exactly her intent. She had bags of food all over the property and purposefully did not distribute them to the animals in need. She purposefully denied basic care in the form of hoof trimmings, wool shearing, and shelter in the hot summer sun and heat. She purposefully denied them human interaction and affection. She purposefully denied them medical care, vaccinations, medications, and much needed surgeries for some. Many of these things she even raised all of the funds for - where did that money go? Her actions left every single one of the surviving animals mentally, physically, emotionally and psychologically traumatized. Ashley neglected 150+ animals for well over a year (at least), and dozens of them died while under her "care". Again - this was entirely her intent. Yet she is only being charged with 17 counts of cruelty despite her cold-hearted actions.
The livestock investigator looked at just over 115 animals on the property, including horses, cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs. They examined the animals' body scale (out of 5), as well as the "overall health of the animals, the condition of the pastures and upkeep of the property."
Below, a breakdown of her charges according to the court documents:
1. Grissom, mule: body score of 1.0
2. Benny, donkey: body score of 1.0
3. Finn, horse: body score of 0.0
4. Tommy, horse: body score of 1.5
5. Buster, horse: body score of 0.0
6. Stevie (now Jovie), horse: body score of 0.0
7. Johnny, horse: body score of 1.0
8. Susie Sway, horse: body score of 1.0
9. Tegan, horse: body score of 1.0
10. Swayze, horse: body score of 0.5
11. Forrest, donkey: body score of 1.0
12. Kuma, mini horse: body score of 0.5
13. Leo, horse: body score of 0.0
14. Jack, horse: body score of 1.5
15. Four (4) of the goat's body scores were deemed "inadequate" and seen collectively as one charge.
16. Twelve (12) of the potbelly pigs had a body score of 1.0-1.5, also seen collectively as one charge.
17. The last charge against her is for neglecting to clean a pasture of debris, i.e. wire, loose fencing, and miscellaneous metal and neglecting to provide an adequate shelter in that pasture. (If you'll recall, Ashley moved some animals to a different pasture WITH a shelter on the day of the inspection, presumably to avoid getting charged for that as well).
This means that Ashley is not being charged for a single animal that died. Not one. Bones littered the property, everywhere. Gatsby lay dead on the floor of a barn, his body stepped on and tripped over for months. Goats had to be identified by their skulls and horns. There was a pile of dead animals. A pile. Live animals were living next to the dead and decomposing bodies of their friends and relatives. Some of those animals even had to EAT the dead and decomposing bodies of their friends and relatives just to stay alive.
There is no charge for Brienne. For Norman. For the goat who was named Johnny that died one day after he was rescued as a result of Ashley's calculated neglect. No charge for Bolt. Nothing for Thea (Pumpkin's mom), the elderly mini horse who was overweight and had hooves so long that she could barely walk. No charges for a single cow or sheep. Nothing for the two bison Rosie and Peppermint, who also had body scores of 1.
Somehow amongst all this evidence of cruelty and neglect, Ashley still managed to take animals with her to her father's property in Pennsylvania. She was permitted to decide where some of the animals went to, and she gave away or sold several. She gave at least one of the dogs (if not more) to Mike, the live-in "caretaker", who was obviously not doing his job and is an accomplice to her crimes.
The final page of the court documents states that "The complaining officer personally observed the offense. The charge was based on the observation/statements made by eyewitness(es). The defendant made statement/admissions. The case involves a consent search."
The animals pictured above are donkeys Benny and Forest, 2 of the 17 charges against Ashley. The photo on the left is the two of them together after they first arrived at Twist of Fate in August of 2020. Ashley posted about them on Patreon with the caption: "Benny and Forest, our 2 new donkeys have arrived. Formerly wild burros roaming freely, they were rounded up by the bureau of land management and then sold. Sadly, they ended up in a kill pen. We were able to get them to safety and then have been in quarantine ever since. They arrived home yesterday and they are settling in well! They took a good run around the pasture, rolled in the dirt and then started happily grazing! The start of a new beginning."
I repeat: "The start of a new beginning."
The photo on the right pictures the donkey's condition two years later. Emaciated and with hooves so overgrown that it was uncomfortable for him to walk.
Just a reminder - despite this mountain of evidence and her previous admission(s) of guilt and her previous apology(s), Ashley DiFelice is pleading NOT GUILTY. What an absolute joke, but let's hope that the prosecution and the judge take this case seriously and give her victims a good amount of justice.
Thank you for being here.
Ashley's next court date is THIS THURSDAY, September 14th.
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We are trying to get as many signatures and comments on the petition as possible before then, especially since the prosecution and the judge are aware of it. Thank you!!