Monday July 20, 2009, 4:29 pm
Fugitive Ark. Animal Abuser Captured in Vt.
St. Johnsbury, Vermont - July 20, 2009

Tammy Hanson, 42, was brought into court in handcuffs. She was arrested over the weekend in Sutton as a fugitive from justice. Police say Hanson had been using the alias Christine Miller and hiding out in Vermont since being convicted on 20 counts of animal cruelty in her home state of Arkansas.

Sheriff John Montgomery, of Baxter County, Ark., said, "We found almost 600 dogs that were in the most unbelievable conditions. They were in their own filth, waste, urine; they were neglected. There were dead animals everywhere. It was the most horrific thing I have ever seen."

Sheriff's Office pictures showed some of the conditions the animals endured at the "Every Dog Needs a Home" rescue. The convictions were only misdemeanors, though Hanson is wanted for three additional felony counts in Missouri for unrelated counts of stealing animals.

Some of the animals in Hanson's possession were dogs displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Police say Hanson made multiple trips to New Orleans to pick up dogs, with no means of caring for them.

"Here are these people who are actually relying on her to take care of their animals while they are dislocated and trying to get their lives back together. And again, if you look at those conditions, it's just awful," Montgomery said. "Now her claim at that time is she was just trying to help and she got over her head."

Prosecutors told the judge that Vermont is in talks with officials in both Missouri and Arkansas. A status conference on Hanson's pending extradition has been set in a week's time.

If Hanson decides to fight extradition, all three states involved in this matter will have 60 days to fill out the necessary paperwork. In the meantime, she is being held without bail

Monday July 20, 2009, 4:35 pm
:( What a siko... Thanks Raffi!

Tuesday July 21, 2009, 1:33 am
noted, I hope she sits her butt in jail for a long time. She is a disgrace.

Tuesday July 21, 2009, 3:25 am
This person isn't right in the head she should be locked up for her own safety and for the safety of the animals.

Tuesday July 21, 2009, 5:30 am
Glad they caught the B####! Thanks Raffi.

Tuesday July 21, 2009, 5:32 am
Disgusting. Taking advantage of Katrinas disaster. I am very happy that they found her and arrested her. And I hope she suffers like she made those animals suffer. Thank you.

Tuesday July 21, 2009, 6:39 am
she needs psychological evaluation..she's not right in the head..she even looks 'spaced'!

Tuesday July 21, 2009, 10:37 am
This B#@@% hopefully will get her just reward~!YEARS in prison!
Tx Raffi

Tuesday July 21, 2009, 10:53 am
I say we put her in a small cage out in a metal shed,dressed from head to toe in heavy fleece and let her sit and rot. no food and no water, she will also have to make her bowel movements and urinate this way, maybe every few days someone can come in and throw water over her and dropped some kibbles in there. Yeah, that would definetly start scaring people, oh and one more thing she is not to be spoken too, or have any human touch....

Tuesday July 21, 2009, 3:20 pm
This is one SICK person!!!!! She needs to be put into an insane home, NOPE, don't want the tax payers paying for that -- just get her a small wire dog crate that she can barely fit into and stick her in that, leave here there with her own urine, filth, no food no water, and while we are at it, let's also put a collar on her to, if she were to escape her cage, she can't....

This is just SICK -- She better get something besides a slap on the hand, put her into a prison with a bunch of Animal lovers...Loved what Kristen wrote, and totally agree...More Laws keep these abusers and NASTY ROTTEN PEOPLE in what they have imposed on innocent animals, this is so SICK...Throw the Book at her...Better Yet...Hey, Let's let Michael Vick's dogs that were so abused and used for fighting get into a cage with her....She is lower than a human in my eyes she is COX MANURE. I would never allow anyone around that P....of S...her entire life....

Tuesday July 21, 2009, 5:18 pm
She is obviously mentally ill. She should be cared for instead of imprisoned. The problem is that only a few states maintain hospitals for the mentally ill anymore and most of them end up in prison. Prison costs the taxpayers a lot more than the hospitals used to. It really bothers me how many cruel to people and judgmental of other people there are at CARE 2.

Tuesday July 21, 2009, 5:52 pm
Feel terrible for the dogs and the owners, who are Katrina victims. Those people went through enough. It's so sad that there are people out there who take advantage of others when they are in a desperate situation. : ( I'm sure no one will leave their pets behind after all horrible things that have happened following Katrina.

Tuesday July 21, 2009, 6:51 pm
THIS WAS POSTED ON MY YAHOO GROUP:
As most of you know Tammy was arrested in Vt on Saturday. I have her address in jail. I sent her a letter telling her exactly how I feel about her. If you would like to do the same here is the address

Tammy Hanson
NERCF
1270 U.S. Route 5
St Johnsbury Vt. 05819

Tuesday July 21, 2009, 9:09 pm
oh, they'll give her an ice cream cone & tell her not to do it again. there is not enough prosecution on these types of cases.

Wednesday July 22, 2009, 1:40 am
Those poor animals. I only hope that they are now in a better place with the care and attention they craved. How sick of this woman to take advantage of other people's misfortune. She should be caged and left to rot.

Wednesday July 22, 2009, 11:12 am
*sigh*

Friday July 24, 2009, 5:57 am
She's not sick; she's just a cold hearted B@!$! who never gave a damn in the first place!!