CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va -- An Amelia man who was convicted by a judge of animal cruelty against his pet camel said he is “not giving up” in his quest to get Jacob back and will appeal the decision
Jacob was confiscated by Chesterfield County Animal Control from a property owned by Stanley Holmes in Chesterfield County on Bundle Road after police said the camel was underweight.
“They had about 20 people here that day, police officers, animal control officers, they had all these people milling around all day long because they didn’t know what they were doing,” Holmes said. Holmes argues that he did nothing wrong and Jacob was fine.
“He was a little underweight because of the parasites, but not dangerously underweight,” Holmes said.
Yet, a spokesperson for animal control said Jacob’s health has greatly improved since leaving Holmes’ care and he is now doing well. Holmes disagrees, “I think they just wanted the sensationalism of having a camel in the lockup.”
Holmes plan to appeal the judge’s decision means Jacob will remain with animal control as the court process plays itself out. “I’m not giving up, if I’ve gotta spend every dime I get, I’m going to take this thing all the way up,” Holmes said.
Holmes said if his appeal does not work he will have to pay the court roughly $2,000 in restitution.
