BOULDER CITY, Nev. (KTNV) — A Las Vegas couple accused of abusing and hoarding animals were in court Thursday.
Timothy Miller and Carolyn Luke were sentenced in Boulder City Municipal Court to six months of jail for each of the five counts they pleaded no contest to; however, the judge has not decided if these terms will run consecutively or concurrently.
Miller, 79, and Luke, 73, are facing multiple charges after authorities searched their car in Boulder City, their hotel room in Las Vegas and their home in Clark County. Between the three locations, law enforcement seized 194 animals. Investigators said 128 of the animals were alive and 66 were dead.
The Thursday court appearance was regarding the couple's charges out of Boulder City. According to an arrest report, Boulder City police received a call from a person working with an animal advocate group who said she was following a Ford SUV that might have multiple animals in the back of the vehicle.
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An officer pulled the couple over and reported he saw several chunks of fur in the center console of the vehicle and he smelled animal feces. Officers searched the vehicle and found seven pet carriers that contained 51 animals. The report states 40 animals were alive, including guinea pigs and rabbits, and that officers also found 11 dead guinea pigs.
The couple also admitted they had multiple animals at a valley hotel and at their home.
Miller and Luke will also both serve a total of 240 hours each of community service and pay a total of $1,525 each in fines.
The judge also left the option open of monitoring the couple electronically instead of jail time, but their financials will have to examined to see if they can pay for the associated costs of monitoring.
Miller and Luke will return to court on Tuesday, April 23.
