This is an appeal for all animal lovers to help put pressure on the courts to ban Teresa Getting from owning dogs for life. She was convicted in October 2015 of neglecting and starving dogs to death, receiving just a light sentence. She has a prior history having admitted in a letter written in 1999 to another breeder that dogs in her care died or disappeared. We feel she should not be allowed to own any animal again.
And ask you to sign this petition before her review on 4th March 2016.

From the DeWitt Observer 10/7/2015 Email this article • Print this article
Getting won't serve time in dog case

By Tom Pantera
Editor

Teresa Ann Getting will do no jail time on charges arising from the May discovery of sick and dead dogs at her DeWitt home.

Getting, 44, pleaded guilty to three serious misdemeanor counts of neglect, death or serious injury of an animal Friday morning in Clinton County District Court. She also pleaded guilty to three simple misdemeanor counts of animal neglect

Judge Phillip Tabor deferred imposition of sentence, instead ordering a year of unsupervised probation, 225 hours of community service, payment of restitution to the Clinton County Sheriff's Office for housing and veterinary care of the animals, and medical treatment and counseling. Getting also will be barred from owning or caring for animals for a year.

The deferred imposition means that if Getting complies with the judge's order, after a year the charges will be dismissed.

In deferring the sentence, Tabor rejected a plea deal between the county attorney and Getting's lawyer.

During Friday's hearing, Assistant County Attorney Amanda Myers asked for 365 days in jail, with 182 days suspended, on the serious misdemeanor charges. She also asked for 30 days, to run concurrently, on the simple misdemeanor counts. She asked that sentencing not be deferred.

Getting's attorney, John Kies, requested the deferred sentence.

In imposing the sentence, Tabor warned Getting that she must fulfill all its terms if she wants the case put to rest.

Getting was arrested in May after owners of a rental property at 2704 275th Ave., where Getting lived, reported seeing three emaciated dogs in the house. When deputies and a veterinarian responded, they found two dead, decomposing dogs in cages in the house and three other living but starving animals. Court documents said there was no food for the animals and the house's water was shut off.

Getting told deputies she was not financially able to care for the animals over the previous two months, court documents said. She also said a third dog had died in the house, but she had not sought any help in caring for the animals.