A Guthrie County woman already facing animal neglect charges was charged again after police found nearly 40 more animals at her home.
Claire Marie Faalk, 35, was arrested and charged with four counts of animal neglect causing serious injury or death and two counts of animal neglect causing injury on Wednesday, Feb. 25. She was charged again on Friday, March 6 on 18 counts of animal neglect with injury and four without in a separate case.
The initial charges stemmed from an animal welfare check at the Johnston residence of a temporary care provider while Faalk moved into a new home, according to court filings. The provider originally agreed to watch two cats for a short period, but there ended up being 35. One cat died while in temporary care.
Faalk and the cats’ other owner, later identified as Oliver Noah Rutherford, 29, of Urbandale, allegedly refused to move the cats to their new home. The cats were suffering from upper respiratory infections, fleas, severe dental problems and severe ear mites.
Rutherford now is charged with four counts of animal neglect causing serious injury or death and two counts of animal neglect causing injury, according to court filings. He waived a preliminary hearing and has an arraignment scheduled April 29. He was released from custody on Thursday, March 12.
The new charges come from a search warrant conducted at Faalk’s residence in rural Guthrie County, where police found dog feces, urine and
