Judge to hear Napiers' case

EAST COUNTY — A battle of custody for animals seized during a raid of Napier’s Log Cabin Horse and Animal Sanctuary, located at 20010 State Road 64 E., will begin March 12.

Manatee County Judge Mark Singer on Feb. 18 issued an order granting the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office’s demand for custody, control and disposition of more than 300 animals seized from property owned by Alan and Sheree Napier Feb. 5.

Local animal rescue groups and Manatee County Animal Services are sheltering the more than 300 animals confiscated during the raid. The animals cannot be adopted until the sheriff’s office obtains custody of the animals, which include dogs, cats, goats, horses and others.

The Napiers have petitioned to regain custody of the animals.

A hearing on the petition is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 12. Attorneys representing the sheriff’s office and the Napiers met Monday and requested additional hearing time for the case.

Peter Lombardo, attorney for the Napiers, said the hearing likely will extend all day March 13, as well.

Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Dave Bristow confirmed the sheriff’s office also is asking for permission to spay and neuter dogs and cats confiscated in the raid, while both parties await the hearing. Lombardo said the Napiers have agreed to the stipulation.

Lombardo called the sheriff’s office’s decision to pursue potential criminal charges, including fraud and animal cruelty, against the Napiers “unfounded.” He said the Napiers are being “punished” for working to save animals, many of which were “skipped over” by other organizations that could have saved them.

“The Napiers run a rescue; they don’t run a pet store,” Lombardo said. “There’s a lot of sick animals. Without knowing the condition of the animals, it’s impossible to say (the Napiers) are responsible for the mistreatment of these animals.”

In a report written by the Manatee County Health Department Feb. 5, health department officials deemed the Napiers’ property a “sanitary nuisance,” citing the accumulation of animal feces on the ground and in a semi-trailer and the accumulation of garbage, among other violations that contribute to fly breeding, transmission of disease and rodent harborage.

Lombardo said the Napiers are working to correct problems within the 30-day time limit.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].