Target: Keith Coleman, Sheriff of Ottawa County, KS
Goal: Take allegedly severely neglected farm animals into custody and away from harm or risk of death.
A Kansas farm owner has seemingly lethally neglected dozens, if not hundreds, of animals for nearly a decade. The most recent incident involves 60 animals that include sheep, goats, and even rabbits. The alleged injuries ranged from bloody and oozing infections to limping to severe emaciation due to lack of food or water. A veritable graveyard of bones also reportedly littered the property.
A sheriff’s deputy went to the premises in May after these reports emerged and sent his findings back to the sheriff’s office and eventually the district attorney. The owner of the property, Kevin Vesterberg, was charged with just ten counts of animal cruelty. Despite the apparent widespread evidence of pervasive cruelty and previous charges of animal cruelty dating back to 2012, this man was not arrested. In fact, the district attorney in charge appeared to mock the case in a since-deleted tweet.
The deputy who originally responded to the most recent incident has gone back to the property daily. Why has he felt compelled to perform this ritual? The animals allegedly subjected to tremendous pain and neglect were not even seized from the farm. The sheriff’s office reportedly told advocacy group Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS) that they had no intention of taking the evidently distressed animals, although Kansas law dictates such action. Even after CAPS was given permission to take over care of the animals, a judge revoked the order at the last moment. Only this one deputy seemingly cares enough to ensure the animals he discovered receive the most basic care.
Sign the petition below to demand officials ensure the safety and well-being of these vulnerable animals immediately.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Sheriff Coleman,
A DA who allegedly makes sarcastic comments about “goat mugshots,” a veterinarian who reportedly shows up for a wellness check a week late, and a sheriff’s department that will seemingly not even rescue the 50-plus victims of an alleged crime: is this sad set of circumstances that passes for justice in Ottawa County? The animal cruelty case brought against Kevin Vesterberg is seemingly a failure of duty and responsibility at every turn. The fact that Mr. Vesterberg supposedly did not even merit a slap on the wrist for similar charges of lethal cruelty nearly a decade ago is bad enough. The continued apparent exploitation and endangerment of animals he now faces charges of neglecting to near-death is unacceptable.
Kansas law explicitly states: “any public health officer, law enforcement officer, licensed veterinarian or officer or agent of any animal shelter or other appropriate facility may take into custody any animal, upon either private or public property, that clearly shows evidence of cruelty to animals.” Do your jobs and liberate these living beings from potentially further harm and tragedy.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Pixabay
These animals should have been taken away long ago. Waaayyyy to many judicial ppl have dropped the ball here. Put the owner in jail. Life long ban on owing or being around pets and animals
Put the owner UNDER the jail!🤬
Put the idiot appointed Judge in jail or better yet throw him in a slop of animal feces and keep him there for a few ekes with out food and water!
Corrupt DA’s are as bad as factory farming if not worse. If that DA can’t do the job, get a new one.
They are soooo freaking corrupt!!! We need to start taking care of these people that are constantly hurting animals for no reason!!!! Obviously, the justice system is not capable of ANYTHING!!!
Take that pos farmer down and beat the crap out of him, chain him to a stall w only a few sips of water.. Maybe not!!!!!Forget the water!!!!
I find this to be a case of horrific animal cruelty and no one is doing anything to help these innocent animals or remove them from this sick asshole who should never own any living thing. What the hell is wrong with your judicial system seems only one deputy was interested in getting help for these poor animals. That piece of shit so called farmer needs to be in the nearest mental institution all animals seized and given to a sanctuary and make that farmer sell his farm and give the money to the animal sanctuary that cares for his animals. Oh, i forgot this is Kansas no wonder nothing gets done.
Agreed! Remember KansAss is a backwards bubba, heartless sh*thole state! Boycott travel to this ugly place, do NOT support their culture of cruelty with your tourism dollars!
These animals need to be taken from Vesterberg immediately.
Why aren’t you following the law? Ignoring or mocking animal abuse reveals your own inhumanity. Do your job!
It’s the good ole boys club at eork again.
Fire the sheriff , judge and DA. They are useless sobs. They have no regard for farm animals . Get the animals off the property. The owner needs prison time . Can not believe this has been going on for years and no one had the gutts to stop this evil man. The deputy that kept going out to the property to check on the animals should be sheriff. He is the only one that knew this was not right .
IMMEDIATELY SEIZE AND REMOVE ALL ANIMALS FROM THIS PROPERTY, and send them to sanctuary. ARREST AND PROSECUTE him for multiple counts of egregious animal abuse, neglect and cruelty. MAKE HIM PAY ALL VET BILLS to restore surviving animals to full health, and BAN him from ever purchasing, owning, caring for, being near or working with any animals ever again. This lack of action on an obvious case of animal cruelty and neglect is UNCONSCIONABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE.
I agree with every word you typed. Share this with facebook. It will make a difference.
What a bunch of corrupted assholes representing the worst humanity has to offer and being paid with tax payers money. Disgusting is not the best way to describe those filthy scumbags that should be in jail. I hope those poor animals are rescue soon and that ignorant stupid owner sent to jail and never own an animal until he dies!
This is a travesty! Fire the judge and DA and sheriff….they represent the worst of our system and are being paid the the taxpayers….unreal. THESE ANIMALS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REMOVED IMMEDIATLEY AND GIVEN THE CARE THEY NEED. AND THE SCUMBAG OWNER SHOULD BE BANNED FOR LIFE FROM OWNING ANIMALS.
Garbage judicial system!! YOU FAILED THESE POOR SOULS AND DAMN YOU!
I agree. The entire state dropped the ball. The officials should also be held accountable for this abuse.
And if possible someone should punish the scum that did this to these animals.
This JUDGE, DA, SHERIFF DEPUTIES, AND THIS CRUEL AND ABUSIVE FARMER SHOULD BE TORTURED AS ALL HIS INNOCENT ANIMALS HAVE BEEN AND LEFT TO DIE A SLOW AND VERY PAINFUL DEATH!!!!!
This problem has been left to fester since 2012 or maybe earlier. THESE ANIMALS HAVE F…ING SUFFERED LONG LONG LONG ENOUGH!! Seize all animals and get them medical care and a safe sanctuary….THAT IS WHAT THEY DESERVE!!!
All those involved … Vesterberg and all those who have turned a blind eye need to be charged with Animal Cruelty ….and NOT a tap on the wrist. The judicial system of Ottawa County, KS is a JOKE!!!!! DO YOUR JOB!!!! NOW!!!!
AGREE WITH ANGELS COMMENTS…..
My heart goes out to these poor, innocent animals. Kevin Vesterberg is a scumbag for neglecting and abusing these animals for almost a decade. These animals should have been removed from his custody many years ago. But this cruelty was allowed to go on for years because of indifference and an apparently incompetent DA, sheriff’s dept., etc. Several agencies have dropped the ball and these poor animals are suffering the consequences. These people need to do their jobs. I hope the compassionate deputy will remain persistent and is able to get others to rally around him and see to it that Kevin Vesterberg is severely punished, and these animals moved to to a sanctuary to get the care they deserve. I hope these fur babies recover and get justice.
Everyone except the deputy deserves to be punished.
To the District Attorney for Ottawa County, KS: Get out of that office. You do not deserve to be there if you truly mocked this deplorable situation of innocent animals made to suffer. There is no reason in the world that farm animals should suffer. Shame on you. I wonder what kind of job you really do for your constituents? Probably not a good one. Get out of the way and let someone with understanding get in there and take care of things. Start by raising funds to get these animals to safety. Arrest and prosecute people who create these problems. At the very least take away the animals since they cannot or will not take care of them.
Why do we have to wait to rescue these poor innocent souls? ANY human who is OK with ANY kind of cruelty is not the kind of human who should be allowed near animals or children…….Just what kind of living beings are we????
This idiot farmer has been abusing farm animals for over a decade? Are you kidding me? Why didn’t authorities intervene? Hundreds of animals died in his care, while the police ate donuts, and the district attorney looked away, too busy doing nothing. Why can’t law enforcement do their job? Animals could have been saved if they had. Shame on them!! I hope this farmer pays dearly for the suffering he has caused.
All animal abusers globally, must be put to death and nothing less.
This is totally disgusting how many involved are heartless assholes! Theses animals do not deserve to live like this! Take theses animals & give them somewhat of a life. This is unbelievable going on since 2012! And the asshole owner should die, jail is to good for him!!