Charges filed in animal abuse case

Earlier today the Bates County Sheriff's Department along with members of the Missouri Humane Society seized about 50 animals including dogs, cats and a bird from a residence on West Mill street and another location at Route 2, Butler. The seizure of the animals was part of an ongoing investigation of animal abuse that stems back to last fall, according to sheriff's department records.

Jean Karolat, 49, was arrested this morning at her residence in Butler and faces at least 10 counts of animal abuse. 


According to information received from Sheriff Chad Anderson, Karolat's problems escalated around Thanksgiving of last year. "We had reports that her horses were out. When we arrived she put the horses back, but after we left, she would let them out again" said Anderson. While at the location, it was noted that the horses appeared to be without food.


 The Saturday after Thanksgiving, a neighbor called the sheriff's department saying there was a dead horse in the back yard and that Karolat was covering the carcass with hay or straw. At that point, 7 sheriff's deputies and posse members went to the location and seized the remaining horses.


Earlier this month, the sheriff's department responded with members of the Humane Society to discuss clean up of the of the noted unsanitary and unhealthy conditions- overcrowding, feces, ammonia stench, lack of food and shelter. Although Karolat agreed to let them help, she would not let them in to the residence. When a search warrant was served, Karolat became aggressive and made it clear that she no longer wanted the Humane Society involved. 


In an interview with a Fox 4 news reporter last week, Karolat said that before opening her home to the over four-dozen animals, she reached out to many animal shelters, but she said none of them have been able to help. "Their list is always too long," said Karolat. "They can't take your animal, or I'm out of their county." However, according to Sheriff Anderson, that's not true. An animal rescue operation in Johnson County, Ks. recently offered to take the animals from Karolat in order to care for them in a controlled environment. Karolat refused the offer.


Likewise, the Fox 4 interview caught the attention of at least 6 area people who claim that Karolat was holding their animals without their knowledge. 


Currently the animals are being transported to a shelter in St. Louis where they will undergo a physical evaluation; a hearing will be held next month to decide their fate. At this time Karolat is being held on $5,000 bond as additional charges are pending.