Garth Goens
VALLONIA — The Jackson County Sheriff Department has arrested two Vallonia men in connection with an animal cruelty case involving the death of over 20 cats, said Jackson County Sheriff Rick Meyer.
Gavin Goens and Garth Goens, both 28, who live on South Main Street, were arrested Jan. 13 and face charges of animal cruelty, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.
“We take reports of animal cruelty very seriously,” said Meyer. “The facts of this case are very disturbing. Nobody has the right to kill or harm a neighbor’s pets.”
The incident began with a call placed Jan. 9 by a neighbor of the men who said she had recorded an altercation between the Goens and another man. During the interaction, the two yelled at the woman, “Hey, your cats are dead!”
When an officer visited the Goens’ residence, the two men initially said the cats they had killed were feral. They said the cats came onto their property and were caught in a trap.
The police report noted there were numerous wire traps of varying sizes containing some sort of bait. During the conversation the two admitted that cats matching the description of the neighbor’s had been a nuisance and were caught in the traps.
The brothers are also alleged to have killed the animals by shooting them in the head with a 9mm handgun and then burying the deceased cats on their property, according to investigators. The pair is alleged to have killed more than 20 cats, Meyer said.
