Dog 'rescuer' charged with a burglary, theft

NORTH RIDGEVILLE — Police have identified Pamala Coleman, 51, of Columbia Station as the woman they say stole two dogs in an attempted rescue on Sept. 30. Police Chief Mike Freeman said Coleman broke into a mobile home in Pine Ridge Mobile Home Park after seeing a Facebook post about the dogs being mistreated. He said witnesses saw her break the glass in the front door with a long pole, let herself in and take the dogs. Coleman then brought the two dogs to the police station. Coleman is charged with burglary — purpose to commit crime, a third-degree felony. According to the police report, she's also been charged with theft without consent and obstructing official business. Freeman said the obstructing charge was because Coleman lied during the course of the investigation. Coleman declined to comment on the case, citing her attorney's advice. She was scheduled to be arraigned in Elyria Municipal Court on Thursday. Court records show her total bond is set at $11,750. The owners of the dogs and mobile home were identified by police as Brittany Ross, 32, and Bryanna Little, 23. Attempts to contact them have been unsuccessful. The situation started when residents around the mobile home park started posting on Facebook about the dogs, saying they were neglected. Freeman said North Ridgeville police, the Lorain County dog warden and Friendship Animal Protective League were aware of the situation, and that the dogs were not being abused. Freeman said no police agencies had any authority to take the animals in their current conditions. "There are times where we would act if certain criteria could be met, but I don't even have the authority to take somebody's property when those conditions aren't meant," Freeman said. There are laws that allow citizens to rescue animals in distress, but Lorain Police Officer Rick Broz, who handles the majority of animal welfare complaints in Lorain, said the law requires rescuers act in "Good Faith." He said the animal has to be in serious distress for citizens to not face civil liability. He said generally, if officers have investigated the complaint and found that no crimes were being committed, and a citizen acts anyway, he said they wouldn't be protected. "Just because you don't like the law means you can take the law into your own hands," Broz said. "If the dogs on its feet barking at you, its obviously not in distress, and you did not act in good faith." Broz said he keeps his own pets inside in the air conditioning, but that doing so isn't part of the law. He said he investigates around 200 animal welfare complaints each year, and most aren't valid. "The vast majority of the cruelty complaints were basically unfounded according to the law." He said the only time to act is if an animal is in serious danger, for example being caught in a fire. Otherwise, he advises that citizens call the police and stand by, but not to act. Contact Sean McDonnell at (440) 329-7148 or smcdonnell@chroniclet.com.