Current Press Releases

Burglary Charges Will Be Dropped Against Susie Coston; Cruelty Charges Sought Against Rory Miller

Schuyler County, IL- March 17, 2003 - Susie Coston, Farm Sanctuary's shelter manager, appeared in court and it was affirmed that criminal charges against her will be dropped. She had been charged with felony burglary for rescuing a lamb with a broken back from a Schuyler County farm last November. The case generated thousands of letters from animal advocates and drew international attention, as agribusiness urged that Ms. Coston be penalized, and humane organizations urged that Rory Miller, the farmer who left his sheep to suffer, be charged with cruelty to animals.

Farm Sanctuary is pleased with the dismissal of all charges against Coston and is urging that animal cruelty charges be brought against Mr. Miller. Farm Sanctuary's president, Gene Baur (formerly Bauston), stated, "There is a growing bed of evidence which indicates animal welfare problems at Miller's facility, and the District Attorney is beginning to question whether Miller runs the model operation he had previously been led to believe. Miller clearly failed to provide his lamb with basic humane care, and he deserves to be charged with cruelty to animals."

Evidence provided to date in support of a cruelty case against Rory Miller includes a necropsy report from Cornell University, a statement from a veterinarian, a letter and legal analysis from the ASPCA, and sworn declarations from eyewitnesses who observed the lamb and poor conditions at Miller's farm. Besides suffering from a broken back, the lamb was soaked in urine and feces that caused urine burns on his body, and he was unable to see because his eyes were crusted shut. A contractor who worked at Miller's farm recounted seeing "between 20 and 30 rotting sheep bodies".

In a letter to the District Attorney, Wayne Pacelle, Senior Vice President of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), wrote, "The HSUS strongly believes in the rule of law and we work through the system to advance reforms for animal welfare. That said, there are certain circumstances that require a person to take action to alleviate grave suffering that an animal is enduring. Ms. Coston did not apparently intend any harm to the land owner, nor was her intent to cause economic damage or any other form of economic or emotional harm; rather she saw an animal in pain and tried to bring relief. If she had intervened in a similar manner in comparable circumstances on behalf of a dog or cat I doubt there would be any significant second-guessing of the rightness of her action... It is ironic that Ms. Coston is being charged for her humanitarian intervention while the lamb's owner, Mr. Rory Miller, faces no criminal prosecution for his failure to act on the animal's behalf. The lamb's condition provides unmistakable evidence that he failed to provide the animal with needed veterinary care, and that failure violates a provision of New York anti-cruelty laws."

About Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is the nation's leading farm animal protection organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to expose and stop cruel practices of the "food animal" industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors about the realities of factory farming. Additional information can be found at www.farmsanctuary.org or by calling 607-583-2225.