Human Hardheartedness in Silver Springs

In Nevada, where men have long prided themselves on their ability to rope a steer, mend a fence, and keep a watchful eye on the ways of civilization, a peculiar couple has found themselves in a most unenviable predicament. John and Kimberly Comellas of Silver Springs have been placed in the county’s finest accommodations—namely, its jail—on the strength of 133 charges of animal cruelty, with a few additional offenses thrown in for good measure.

It was on the fateful day of March 13 that the Lyon County deputies, accompanied by their colleagues in Animal Control, descended upon the Comellas’ property, acting on reports of mistreatment so grievous they might have troubled even the hardest heart. What they discovered was a veritable Noah’s Ark gone dreadfully wrong.

The beasts of the land—horses, goats, dogs, and other creatures—were caged, famished, wounded, and teetering on the precipice of mortality. It was not a scene to inspire poetry–unless one had a taste for the macabre.

Among the unfortunate menagerie were seven horses, with one in such pitiful condition that the only humane course of action was to grant it eternal respite. There were also two miniature horses, nine dogs, 47 goats, six peacocks, a cat, a rabbit, and, most curiously, an owl—perhaps an unwilling witness to the entire affair—completed the tragic inventory.

Having demonstrated the worst possible method of keeping livestock, the Comellas were swiftly relieved of their managerial duties and charged with an impressive array of offenses, including failure to license and immunize their animals, exceeding the allowable number of dogs, and, most prominently, the aforementioned 133 counts of cruelty. Their bail was set at $135,205 each— suggesting that the county authorities wished to be thorough in justice and arithmetic.

As for the unfortunate animals, all are in the hands of more capable caretakers, who will restore them to proper health and dignity. Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Comellas shall have ample time to reflect upon their misdeeds within the walls of the Lyon County jail, where they may contemplate their errors and perhaps develop an appreciation for the fine art of responsible animal husbandry—though one doubts they will have the opportunity to put it into practice anytime soon.