Las Vegas couple kept nearly 100 animals in SUV, hotel room, report says
A report from the Boulder City Police Department details the moments officers found dozens of animals inside a couple’s vehicle during a traffic stop.
Carolyn Luke and Timothy Miller were arrested by Boulder City police on April 2.
The couple later pleaded guilty in Boulder City Municipal Court to five counts of animal abuse and were given a suspended sentence of 30 months in prison on April 23. Their animals were seized and the two were also ordered to pay a fine of more than $1,500, perform 48 hours of community service and serve house arrest.
The report states that Boulder City Police Dispatch received a call on March 29 about a Ford SUV containing several guinea pigs that were either not being taken care of or dead. Later that day, an officer pulled over a Ford SUV with Luke and Miller after noticing the car had a rear taillight out.
The officer noticed “several chunks of fur” in the center console when he approached the SUV, and saw several black animal carriers in plastic storage totes in the back of the vehicle, the report states.
When the two were asked if they had animals in the vehicle, the officer wrote both were “very hesitant” to answer the question. Police said Luke later confessed to having 20 guinea pigs in the vehicle.
During a search, police found multiple clear plastic tubs with condensation on the inside of them, along with several pet carrying bags containing several dead or nearly dead guinea pigs.
Boulder City Animal Control said 51 animals were found in the pet carriers, including 11 dead guinea pigs.
Police also found five receipts from Petland dated between Oct. 5 and Nov. 24 that showed Luke bought a total of five dogs for $18,502.
Police wrote that Miller and Luke also confessed to having animals at their home and at a La Quinta Hotel in Las Vegas where Luke said the couple had been staying to avoid a “mean” neighbor.
Luke said about 30 dogs were at the hotel, including 10 that had died. Miller said the dogs had been dead for “a little over a day,” and “died from heat stroke” while being transported, according to the report.
Miller also told police that there were over a dozen animals at the couple’s home, along with a freezer containing about 15 to 20 dead guinea pigs and dogs — though Miller said most of the animals in the freezer had died from old age.
A report from Clark County Animal Protection Services said that 42 dead animals were found inside the home, with 26 animals found alive including three dogs, two rabbits, six birds, nine hamsters and six tortoises.
Both Miller and Luke are now facing 14 felony charges of willful or malicious torture, maiming, or killing of an animal in Las Vegas Justice Court, but have not yet been officially charged.
Contact Taylor Lane at tlane@reviewjournal.com.