Italy PD arrests Dallas police sergeant for animal cruelty

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Italy resident Kandy Standige, 50, was arrested August 3, 2015 on a charge of animal cruelty.

ITALY — Dallas Police Sergeant Kandy Pippin Standige, #7146, was arrested Monday by the Italy Police Department on a Class A Misdemeanor charge of Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animals.

Standige, 50, a resident of Italy, was booked into the Wayne McCollum Detention Center at 10:56 p.m. She bonded out of jail Tuesday morning.

According to a statement from the Dallas Police Department, "Sergeant Standige has been with the department since January 1995 and is currently assigned to the Metro Task Force. The Department’s Internal Affairs Division will conduct an administrative investigation. Sergeant Standige has been placed on Administrative Leave."

Italy police say the department received a call at about 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, August 1 reporting animals were locked in a residence without proper food and water. At that time, Italy PD began investigating.

Photo courtesy SPCA of Texas.

Police state an officer made contact with the Standige on Monday, August 3 and Standige agreed to relocate the animals to a temporary location with her mother. However, conditions warranted police to take Standige in custody and seize the animals.

"Upon viewing the conditions of the dogs they were shown to be in poor health and failed to provide necessary care for the dogs. Ms. Standige was taken into custody at 9 p.m. for Animal Cruelty which is a Class A Misdemeanor," a press release authorized by Italy Police Chief Shawn Martin stated.

"Ellis County Animal control was contacted at that time to provide assistance and take temporary custody of the five dogs and one goat."

The arrest affidavit for Standige stated the dogs were underweight and very malnourished. The affidavit also stated one dog was covered in black fleas despite having no hair, another dog had a bald spot with knotted hair and third one threw up water shortly after drinking water provided by an officer.

"Six cruelly treated dogs and one goat" were taken into custody according to a press release issued by the SPCA of Texas.

"The dogs were cruelly confined inside of a feces-filled, urine soaked house on the property. The goat was found in the backyard. The animals appear to have varying health issues, including hair loss, and were covered in urine, feces, ticks and fleas."

Photo courtesy SPCA of Texas.

The SPCA of Texas took temporary custody of the animals on Tuesday, August 4 after a warrant of seizure of the animals was completed at Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Judge Jackie Miller's office.

"SPCA of Texas vehicles transported the dogs to the Jan Rees-Jones Animal Care Center at 2400 Lone Star Drive in Dallas and the goat to the Russell H. Perry Animal Care Center at 8411 Stacy Road in McKinney, where they are being examined by medical staff and will be cared for until the custody hearing," the release stated.

A more permanent custody hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, August 11 at 10 a.m. at the Justice of the Peace Court, Pct. 2 located at 701 S. I-35 E in Waxahachie. Judge Jackie Miller will preside over the hearing.

The investigation is on-going according to Italy PD.

To help support the SPCA of Texas and its efforts to help abused, neglected and homeless animals and to support the SPCA of Texas' other programs and services, visit www.spca.org.