Incident Date: Thursday, Jun 2, 2011
County: Pinellas
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Michael Edward Waite
Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies arrested a Palm Harbor man June 2 after discovering several dead animals inside his home.
Deputies responded to a report of animal cruelty at 516 Rebstock Blvd. at 6:15 p.m., according to a sheriff's report. When deputies arrived, they met with Joanna Waite, 34, of Pinellas Park, who reported she and her husband Michael Edward Waite, 39, have been separated since late April. They shared custody of their three children and 12 family pets.
Joanna said she left the animals with Michael in the home they shared in Palm Harbor when she and the children moved to Pinellas Park in late April. Since then the children have been staying between the two homes while still attending school.
Joanne reportedly picked the children up from school about 3 p.m. June 2 and brought them to Michael at the Palm Harbor residence only to find him not there and house locks changed.
One of the children entered the home through a window and unlocked the door. This is when Joanna discovered the deplorable living conditions inside, and the animals deceased, missing, or suffering from malnutrition, according to the sheriff's report.
One bird, a blue and gold Macaw, was still barely alive. She rushed him to her veterinarian's office where he later died. Joanna then called deputies. In all Michael was in charge of 12 animals, and according to Joanna he never told her he was having a problem taking care of them.
Deputies called the Pinellas SPCA to the scene and they removed one cat and two kittens, all suffering from starvation. Two dogs and one cat were given to the custody of Joanna.
When deputies interviewed Michael, he stated he could not afford the animals and had stopped feeding them. He claimed two of the birds that were missing, an African Gray Parrott and a Moluccan Cockatoo had died, and he threw them in the trash. One kitten that is still missing he could not account for, but deputies believe it had also died along with two other kittens found dead in the home.
Deputies reported the house was in a state of deplorable unsanitary condition. Animal feces and urine was documented to be all over the floors, carpets, and furniture. The birdcages appeared as if they had not been cleaned in sometime, and no food could be found.
In all five of the animals are confirmed dead because of lack of care and intentional starvation. Michael allegedly told deputies he was glad he was being arrested because he needed this push to straighten out his life.
The investigation continues.
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