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Rabbit hoarder accused of keeping more pets
Animals - Miriam Sakewitz faces up to five years if found guilty of violating her probation
Saturday, January 19, 2008
HOLLY DANKS The Oregonian Staff
HILLSBORO -- Oregon's biggest bunny hoarder is back in trouble, accused of having more pets in her Hillsboro home and not paying her court-ordered fines.
Miriam Elaine Sakewitz, 45, will be arraigned Jan. 31 on charges of violating her probation for a third time in nine months. She faces up to five years in jail if she is unable to show why her probation should not be revoked.
According to a probation officer's affidavit, police found a dog and a rabbit in Sakewitz's garage when they went to her house Jan. 7 to check on a report that she was suicidal.
The door was unlocked, and officers went inside without a warrant to check on her condition. Sakewitz wasn't home, so police did not seize the pets, said Lt. Michael Rouches, Hillsboro police spokesman.
Sakewitz's phone is no longer in service, and attorney Matthew C. Daily, who told police his client was threatening to kill herself, did not return calls seeking comment Friday.
Bob Severe, a Washington County probation supervisor, said Sakewitz reported to his office Thursday and accompanied probation officers to her house. No violations were found at that time, Severe said.
A judge ordered Sakewitz not to possess or control animals and to stay at least 100 yards away from rabbits after she was found guilty in one of Oregon's largest animal-hoarding cases.
"Just when we thought it was going to be resolved . . ." Rouches said. "We want her to get some real help, to get beyond this -- for her and the animals. This has to have some conclusion."
The case started almost 18 months ago. Police found nearly 250 rabbits -- including 88 dead ones in freezers -- when they raided Sakewitz's Northeast 23rd Court home in October 2006.
In April 2007, Sakewitz pleaded no contest to 10 counts of animal neglect involving the original case. She also pleaded no contest to charges of criminal mischief and tampering with evidence for breaking into a police facility and taking more than 140 rabbits that officers were caring for as evidence while her first case was pending.
In August 2007, Washington County Circuit Judge Steven L. Price sent Sakewitz to jail for three days for violating her probation after neighbors reported seeing a rabbit sitting inside a window of her home.
Sakewitz was sent to jail for 30 days in November after she contacted two of her former attorneys against court orders.
In an interview last year, Sakewitz blamed her attorneys, saying they forced her to plead no contest to the charges against her because she didn't have money to pay for a protracted legal battle. She maintained that she took good care of her rabbits and did not steal from the police because the animals were hers in the first place.
Sakewitz also said she did not know how she would live without pets and was thinking of moving out of Washington County.
According to court records, Sakewitz owes nearly $11,000 to the city of Hillsboro, Washington County and Rock Creek Veterinary Hospital. She lost her job as a financial systems analyst when the rabbit trouble started.
Holly Danks: 503-221-4377; [email protected]
Animals - Miriam Sakewitz faces up to five years if found guilty of violating her probation
Saturday, January 19, 2008
HOLLY DANKS The Oregonian Staff
HILLSBORO -- Oregon's biggest bunny hoarder is back in trouble, accused of having more pets in her Hillsboro home and not paying her court-ordered fines.
Miriam Elaine Sakewitz, 45, will be arraigned Jan. 31 on charges of violating her probation for a third time in nine months. She faces up to five years in jail if she is unable to show why her probation should not be revoked.
According to a probation officer's affidavit, police found a dog and a rabbit in Sakewitz's garage when they went to her house Jan. 7 to check on a report that she was suicidal.
The door was unlocked, and officers went inside without a warrant to check on her condition. Sakewitz wasn't home, so police did not seize the pets, said Lt. Michael Rouches, Hillsboro police spokesman.
Sakewitz's phone is no longer in service, and attorney Matthew C. Daily, who told police his client was threatening to kill herself, did not return calls seeking comment Friday.
Bob Severe, a Washington County probation supervisor, said Sakewitz reported to his office Thursday and accompanied probation officers to her house. No violations were found at that time, Severe said.
A judge ordered Sakewitz not to possess or control animals and to stay at least 100 yards away from rabbits after she was found guilty in one of Oregon's largest animal-hoarding cases.
"Just when we thought it was going to be resolved . . ." Rouches said. "We want her to get some real help, to get beyond this -- for her and the animals. This has to have some conclusion."
The case started almost 18 months ago. Police found nearly 250 rabbits -- including 88 dead ones in freezers -- when they raided Sakewitz's Northeast 23rd Court home in October 2006.
In April 2007, Sakewitz pleaded no contest to 10 counts of animal neglect involving the original case. She also pleaded no contest to charges of criminal mischief and tampering with evidence for breaking into a police facility and taking more than 140 rabbits that officers were caring for as evidence while her first case was pending.
In August 2007, Washington County Circuit Judge Steven L. Price sent Sakewitz to jail for three days for violating her probation after neighbors reported seeing a rabbit sitting inside a window of her home.
Sakewitz was sent to jail for 30 days in November after she contacted two of her former attorneys against court orders.
In an interview last year, Sakewitz blamed her attorneys, saying they forced her to plead no contest to the charges against her because she didn't have money to pay for a protracted legal battle. She maintained that she took good care of her rabbits and did not steal from the police because the animals were hers in the first place.
Sakewitz also said she did not know how she would live without pets and was thinking of moving out of Washington County.
According to court records, Sakewitz owes nearly $11,000 to the city of Hillsboro, Washington County and Rock Creek Veterinary Hospital. She lost her job as a financial systems analyst when the rabbit trouble started.
Holly Danks: 503-221-4377; [email protected]
