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LOGAN — A canine by every other identify remains to be not your canine, a West Haven girl discovered after she was accused of taking a rancher’s canine, saying she thought it was her personal.
Shelly Dawn Rovira, 62, waived her proper to a jury trial final month in favor of getting into a plea of abeyance after rancher Lane Jensen accused her of taking his herd canine from his property. Rovira pleaded no contest in Logan’s 1st District Court on July 13 to wrongful appropriation, a third-degree felony amended to a category A misdemeanor.
Rovira has been ordered to pay $7,003 in restitution to Jensen. Rovira’s pal Sarah Later, who police say helped her steal the canine, may also pay a part of that advantageous.
In alternate for Rovira’s plea, three different expenses have been dismissed: theft by stolen property and obstructing justice, each third-degree felonies; and felony trespass realizing illegal individual/unmanned plane, a category B misdemeanor.
On May 26, 2020, Jensen reported to the Cache County Sheriff’s Office that his canine Fergie had been taken from his property close to Avon two days prior, and that Rovira had been posting in regards to the canine, calling it “Grace” on social media.
Posts from a Facebook web page known as “Save Momma Dog the Great Pyrenees — ‘Grace'” present images of a canine being “rescued” with what Jensen stated was his property and corral within the background, based on an arrest warrant. Rovira had been in search of Grace for 5 months.
Jensen confirmed police texts between him and Rovira from May 25, 2020, the place he instructed her she had his canine, and she or he denied it, based on the warrant.
“You have our Akbash canine,” Jensen texted, per the warrant. “The footage posted on FB have been clearly taken on our property.”
“There is property throughout (the) mountain vary that appears like that. No must textual content me once more,” Rovira responded.
Police known as Rovira on May 27, 2020, and she or he admitted to happening the property and taking the canine, per the warrant. She instructed police she purchased the canine from an worker on the lot, however she additionally contradictorily stated the worker was not round when she discovered and took the canine, the warrant states.
The subsequent day, police interviewed the worker, who didn’t converse English and stated two ladies, later recognized as Rovira and Later, approached him May 24, 2020. He instructed police he could not perceive what the ladies have been saying, however they confirmed him an image of a canine and held up two fingers.
The worker instructed police he went to herd sheep, abandoning his backpack. When he got here again, he discovered $400 tucked in a shoe in his backpack, based on the warrant. The sheep canine was gone, and so have been the ladies, he instructed police. He denied data of any sale settlement.
Police interviewed Later, who stated she was with Rovira and confirmed the worker was not round once they took the canine.
“Sarah wouldn’t present any info as to the place the canine was or easy methods to get it returned to the proprietor,” the warrant says. “Sarah stated she would quite be arrested than hand over the canine.”
Later additionally entered a no-contest plea July 13 to wrongful appropriation, a third-degree felony amended to a category A misdemeanor.
Searching for Grace
On Dec. 1, 2019, two snowmobilers, Kat Perry and her boyfriend, found three Great Pyrenees puppies and their mom stranded within the Ant Flat space east of Pineview Reservoir. The snowmobilers known as for assist to save lots of the dogs, prompting county search and rescuers to convey a sled and carry the puppies to security.
But the mom canine, Grace, ran away. Rovira had been in search of the canine since then, when she took Fergie, based on Jensen.
Perry later stated the canine Rovira posted about was not Grace as a result of the canine’s head was too small, and she or he was taller and lankier than Grace. Jensen additionally identified his canine is an Akbash, not a Great Pyrenees, and that Grace was initially discovered practically 40 miles away from his property.
An ongoing drawback
Jensen instructed KSL-TV in 2021 he had three dogs taken from him at that time, and needed to begin micro-chipping them. One of his dogs ended up all the way in which in Montana.
The Utah Department of Agriculture instructed KSL-TV on the time that 11 working dogs have been taken from ranchers in 2021.
Jensen stated herd dogs are an integral a part of his livelihood, as they guard sheep from predators.
“I feel, usually, individuals need to suppose they’re doing assist,” Jensen stated. “However, I might recommend, in the event that they see a canine they suppose is misplaced or deserted … get the knowledge on the place they’re and what the canine appears like and name regulation enforcement.”
