Tulsa Woman Jailed After 7 Dogs, 22 Cats Removed From Home

A Tulsa woman was arrested on 29 counts of animal cruelty Thursday.  The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office took Cherie Dawn Waggie into custody at the Tulsa Animal Shelter where she was demanding the return of the seven dogs and 22 cats collected from her residence.

"They had to euthanize the vast majority of those animals for health reasons, either age, malnourishment or disease," said Sergeant Shannon Clark of the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies initially went to a home in the 1500 block of East 63rd Street North for a civil lockout.

"While we found no people at the residence, a lot of personal belongings were left along with seven dogs and 22 cats," Tulsa County Sheriff's Deputy David Long said in his report.

"They were in various conditions as far as having diseases as far as having mange, eye infections, nutrition," Long said.

Later that afternoon, the Tulsa Animal Shelter called for assistance, saying Waggie had shown up "screaming and demanding her animals."

Waggie's mother, Billie Jean, said she and her daughter loved every one of the animals. 

"She's hysterical, because we loved those," Billie Jane. "Those were our family and we loved them and we cared about them and we cared for them."

Sheriff's deputies also seized three more dogs at a nearby piece of land that belongs to Cherie.

Although they were in a yard by themselves, Billie Jane said her family never abandoned the animals.

"We did have a lot of animals, but we had them for years and years and years," Billie Jane said. "Anybody that knows us knows we could never be cruel to one."

Waggie, 55, admitted to officers that she had kicked in the back door of the house to gain entrance to the property, Clark said.

Deputies returned to the home on 63rd Street North where they found Waggie's elderly mother locked in the house.  Officers released her to friends "due to health problems and injuries," the report states.

Waggie was also booked on one complaint of second degree burglary.

Deputy Long says it's not unlikely that the mother, Billie Jane, could later be arrested for animal cruelty as well. 

As for the remaining dogs, if you'd like to adopt one contact the Tulsa Animal Welfare at 918-669-6280.