(Franklin County, Ohio) – A Grove City couple has been sentenced to five years of probation and is no longer allowed to breed and/or broker any animals after a jury convicted both Douglas and Britny DeVaul on 17 out of 20 counts of animal cruelty. Each conviction is a misdemeanor of the second degree. The defendants are also required to pay $16,000 in fines to Columbus Humane. In addition, the following terms of Community Control were imposed:
No owning or keeping any animals, livestock or reptiles except for five companion animals. Those five companion animals must also be spayed/neutered.
All other animals, livestock, and reptiles owned by defendants must be forfeited within 30 days.
The defendants shall not work, operate or volunteer within a field involved in the care, breeding, or sale of animals, livestock and reptiles.
All animals, livestock and reptiles owned by the defendants and currently in possession of Columbus Humane are forfeited to Columbus Humane.
The defendants may not leave Franklin County, Ohio without permission from their probation officer.
The defendants must go through psychological evaluations, mental health assessments and take animal awareness classes.
The defendants are subject to random inspections by Columbus Humane and other agencies at the discretion of the Probation Officer.
Douglas and Britny DeVaul were charged in 2019, after Columbus Humane agents, Franklin County Sheriff's deputies, Columbus Police, and other authorities executed search warrants at The Petting Zoo Pet Shop (formally known as Grove City Reptiles) located on West Broad Street and the couple's Jackson Township home on August. 13, 2019. Humane agents seized 247 animals from the two properties the couple owned citing unsanitary and dangerous living conditions.
Columbus Humane is grateful to have the variety of livestock and reptiles in our care released to us to begin working on an adoption and rescue placement plan for the animals. Columbus Humane is working with probation officials to determine how many and what kind of animals will be forfeited by the defendants in the coming month. Health and behavior evaluations will be conducted for those animals and then an adoption and/or rescue transfer plan will be put in place.
“This is a massive victory for the animals,” said CEO, Rachel, D.K. Finney. “We are so relieved the ongoing suffering of animals in this couple’s care has finally come to an end.”
Columbus Humane would like to thank all agency partners in this case for their involvement. The City Attorney’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff's deputies, Columbus Police, Ohio Wildlife Center and Ohio Department of Agriculture proved to be outstanding partners and advocates without whom this success would not be possible.
“This is a landmark decision,” said Chief Humane Agent Kerry Manion. “We want to thank Judge Mingo for taking this case very seriously. For the defendants to be held accountable to this extent is a big step in the right direction for animals in the State of Ohio.”
Columbus Humane, founded in 1883, provides programs and services for animals and people in Central Ohio. It is our mission to fight animal cruelty, help animals in need and advocate for their well-being. We are a non-profit law enforcement agency investigating reports of animal cruelty abuse and neglect in Franklin County. More than 75 percent of our funding comes from private donations. Columbus Humane relies heavily on the generous support of our community to continue our mission. For more information about Columbus Humane, please visit www.columbushumane.org.
