Animal Shelter Manager Accused of Neglecting Her Own Cats, New Developments in Case – WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio

MIAMI COUNTY – There are new developments in the case of the animal shelter director accused of neglecting her own cats.

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As reported on News Center 7 at 5:30 p.m., Sophia Kartsonis, the director of Our Farm Sanctuary, appeared in Miami County Court for the first time in over a month, and this time several former volunteers gathered in the courtroom to see how the case would turn out.

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Kartsonis is charged with six counts of animal neglect and originally pleaded not guilty on July 25.

News Center 7 reported on Miami County Animal Control's search of Our Farm Sanctuary back in July.

Due to the poor housing conditions, they removed 43 cats from the property. Six of these cats were Kartsonis' personal pets. She is accused of neglecting her own six cats.

On Monday, Kartsonis changed her plea from “not guilty” to “no contest,” meaning she will accept the conviction without pleading guilty.

News Center 7's Mason Fletcher observed how several former volunteers at the sanctuary reacted when they heard about the conditions in which the cats they once cared for were kept.

Several former volunteers previously told News Center 7 that they saw these conditions firsthand, but were unable to speak about them today due to a court order issued against everyone involved.

After hearing the conditions in the sanctuary, the judge made his decision. He found Kartsonis guilty of all six offenses.

Kartsonis could be forced to pay $4,500 and spend 540 days in jail. The judge also mentioned that she was deprived of the right to have a pet.

Kartsonis is due back in Miami County Court in October when she will be given her formal sentence.

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