Carolyn Moore Loveman, a 48-year-old resident of Rymshaw Drive in Palm Coast, was arrested Thursday on 34 misdemeanor counts and one felony count of animal cruelty, capping a two-and-a-half-week scramble by rescuers to recover 71 dogs that had previously been in Loveman’s care. Three dogs died.
Late the night of May 4, Caroline Johnson Flagler County’s Saving got a call from a veterinary technician at East Coast Animal Hospital who alerted her to some 30 chihuahuas running loose on the side of the road near the Flagler-St. Johns County line at U.S. 1. It looked as if someone had dumped the dogs there.
Johnson, the founder of SMART–Flagler County’s Saving Missing Animals Response Team–rushed to the scene with crates in her van while putting out a call of volunteers. Thirty joined her to rescue the dogs. It was dangerous for the volunteers and the dogs. Three dogs were struck and killed by cars, but by 2 a.m. most of the dogs had been secured.
The dogs, Johnson said, were “extremely fearful,” running away from everyone and running into the road. Two of the dogs had already been struck by the time Johnson got there. She guided the volunteers to calm the dogs and find ways to keep them in place. “Every one of them, you could tell, had fleas, dried up feces on them, skin issues that you know looked like possible mange or flea allergy,” Johnson said. “You could just tell they were not coming from a clean, happy environment, that they were probably in a hoarding kind of situation, or nasty conditions.”
Over two weeks Smart rescued 23 dogs altogether from the dumping site, 20 of them alive, 16 of them placed under Smart’s care and four sent to Safe Rescue in St. Augustine. The dogs are primarily chihuahua, beagle, and yorkie mixes .
“One of them that was dumped initially two weeks ago, I just trapped her Sunday,” Johnson said, “so she had been out there for 13 days with no food, no water, and very badly dehydrated, and very, very skinny with all her ribs and spine showing. She has been in the hospital 24 hours since Sunday when I trapped her, on fluids and meds and antibiotics and all kind of supportive care.”
Johnson offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest or conviction of whoever was responsible for the dumping. She got several responses that led to an address in Palm Coast’s R-Section, where, Johnson’s tipsters told her, many more dogs remained, and that perhaps only a third or a quarter of the batch was dumped on U.S. 1.
“The description that I received was that they are starving, they’re eating each other’s feces, they’re all sick,” Johnson said. “The house is overrun with feces and urine. The family doesn’t live in that house, they don’t live in there because the dogs have destroyed it, and that these dogs really need to get out, that they’re eating the walls. So, for me, who hears this, as a rescuer, my priority is trying to get the dogs out.” Johnson had been told that the Lovemans had moved into a shack on the property, according to the arrest report.
The house Johnson had been directed to was at 80 Rymshaw Drive in Palm Coast. She asked for Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies to conduct a welfare check there. Loveman has owned the property with her husband Chris since 2015. Johnson said initially Loveman would not allow deputies inside the house. A Palm Coast Animal Control officer had been similarly denied access in 2024, according to Loveman’s arrest report.
But working with Palm Coast Animal Control and the Sheriff’s Offices in Flagler and St. Johns, Loveman eventually surrendered 48 dogs, after telling law enforcement officials that she had 28 to surrender. Deputies found an additional three she had not surrendered, bringing the total number of dogs recovered at the property to 51.
Once deputies removed the dogs, they asked for permission from Loveman to check the house one more time, which she denied until she was told that she would be served a search warrant. She told deputies she’d had the dogs for two years and had never taken them to a vet. She’d started with a small group of dogs. They started breeding. It got out of hand and the dogs took over the house. She told the deputies that the dogs deserve better because she could not take care of all of them.
The interior of the house were described in the sheriff’s report after deputies entered it with members of the Crime Scene Investigations unit. The description corroborates what Johnson had been told: “Walking into the garage, the odor of urine was emanating from the interior of the residence. Once the interior garage door was opened, the overwhelming odor of urine and feces poured out of the residence. The door jamb where we stood was covered in residue/grime, which appeared to be where animals have come into contact with while having feces/urine on their paws. Once inside, the floors were observed covered in urine and feces leading to the kitchen.
“There were multiple holes in multiple walls where animals had dug into the wall, wearing the drywall out so much that insulation and studs were visible. On the kitchen counter, an opened can of Vienna Sausages were out and contained multiple roaches in and around it. Roaches were observed crawling all over the center island and the floors of the kitchen. Past the kitchen was what appeared to be an empty dining room, which contained a gate commonly used to keep animals separated from a certain area.
“There were multiple piles of feces present in such a small area, and it was clear that some of the piles had been there for days on end. Flies were present in the area and after only being in the residence for a few minutes, a break was needed from the burning sensation in my eyes and the urine odor in the air. As we walked outside, there were multiple bags of trash on the back porch that contained dog feces and had flies swarming them. The backyard was overgrown and there was an above-ground pool that had not been maintained, which contained dark brown water.
“There was a shed on the property that had not been cleared yet, which was included in the Consent to Search Form. I knocked on the door and heard barking coming from what seemed to be a small dog.” It was one of three dogs in the shed, or what appeared to have been a “makeshift apartment,” with air conditioning, a bed and other necessities.
At that point Loveman rescinded consent to access or photograph the premises, and all searches stopped. Several rooms in the house could not be searched as a result until the search warrant was secured that evening, enabling a fuller recovery and documentation of the conditions of the dogs and their surroundings. Some of the dogs required more intensive medical interventions than others, and 31 “suffered from numerous medical conditions.” None had been spayed or neutered.
Most of the dogs are currently fostered.
“No animal should be left to live covered in filth and riddled with disease while their owner does nothing,” Sheriff Rick Staly was quoted as saying in a release. “Thanks to our Agricultural/Ranch Unit, FCSO detectives, Palm Coast Animal Control, and assistance with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, these dogs are finally getting the care they should have had all along. If you cannot care for your animals, you should immediately seek assistance. No animal or pet should be treated like this.”
Johnson’s Smart organization, a nonprofit, has been paying the medical costs–roughly $16,000 so far, Johnson said, with considerable care still needed. “We have 67 dogs that all need vaccines, monthly heartworm prevention and spay neuter, so the bills are going to be astronomical when we’re said and done with this.”
SMART Rescue is accepting contributions here.
D. Francis says
This is a tragic case and I encourage all animal advocates to do what you can to help, anything as small as a can of dog food or a $5 contribution. This is a wonderful all-volunteer group that is becoming overwhelmed with the necessary care and placement of these poor dogs. Can you even imagine being one of their volunteers and getting a call at midnight to go out in the pitch dark woods trying to save lives? They’ve been working night and day to save them, get needed medical treatment, foster homes, and eventually adoptions. They take no salaries and are all deeply dedicated.
Please find it in your heart to help if you are able. They also have a wish list on Amazon of much needed supplies, even things like paper towels and cleaning supplies, to get these babies healthy and into new homes. I’ve met Caroline and some of the volunteers and they are angels on Earth for these neglected animals. I’m on a tight budget, like most of us are. Yet I squeezed my budget out of a few dollars at least twice this month to donate toward the medical care. If you can’t contribute, maybe you could give them a few hours of volunteer help socializing the poor little critters.
Thanks for reading this, and for taking it under consideration.
Enjoy a safe weekend and let’s not forget about “those who gave all” on this Memorial Day. This isn’t the 4th of July. This is about flags on graves and the respect those men and women earned by serving.
TR says
How in the world did she get away with having that many dogs when you’re only allowed two per household in PC. None of the neighbors heard all the barking and didn’t report it? I hope the dogs will be taken care of and then will find a home where the new owners will be responsible pet owners and love the dogs as they should be loved. As far as Carolyn goes, put her in a cage for the maximum the law allows, no plea deal and no early release.
Deborah Coffey says
Actually, you are allowed to have up to 4 dogs/cats per household in Palm Coast.
Barbara Fey says
City of Palm Coast animal control was aware of this address and that this woman was a “ breeder” ! Why was the case closed and most importantly, why weren’t they monitoring her? These are the questions EVERYONE should be asking right now and demanding answers! Blame this woman sure but when are we going to demand more from these agencies? The pool water was reportedly brown from years of neglect and code enforcement was there to
“ investigate “ that too but the inspector wrote “ couldn’t look over the fence because it’s not permitted …” so they close the case and walk away! Change is needed!
Dennis C Rathsam says
Glad the pups are safe,that’s the main thing! Now since we all pay$25.00 for dog licences ,what is she on the hook for? How many dogs?????
Kim Fitzgerald says
Thank you Flagler Live for this very detailed and informative article and for your support of SMART – we appreciate the exposure.
Atwp says
Sad situation. Had there been children in this condition, would they receive the needed medical help that the dogs are receiving? Just asking. With Trump being the President and Desantis the Governor of Florida I doubt the children would get the needed care if any. What is going to happen to the dog keepers?
Dee says
Really..what is wrong with you to make a comment like that…you are definitely just as sick as she is
Atwp says
Dee it is called freedom of speech, I’m exercising that freedom before the Trump Administration take it away from people of color. Dee you sound like a white person, calling me sick and you don’t even know me. Pretty sure I’m much healthier than you. I’m going to continue speaking whether you like it or not. I don’t care if do to don’t, you didn’t give me my mouth God did so I’m going to use it.
TR says
That is the most ignorant comment you have made in a long time. I can’t believe you don’t think before you type. Must be very lonely in your land of ignorance. Maybe FL could add a block feature for use to use.
Atwp says
Tr, you sound like an old angry person. It is very hard to type before people think. Just like I told Dee it is freedom of speech for me and other people of color, before Trump ask Ice to deport all persons of color because they are exercising their right to speak. In a sense they are taking away our freedom of speech by taking away our right to vote, or at lease making it harder for my people to vote. Call me what you like, dosent mean I fit the definition of what whites say about me. My people suffered very bad under white suppression and still suffering, I can’t shut up because the white man want me to. Don’t know and don’t care what color you are you have my comment.
Angela G says
Omg…seriously…this has nothing to do with Trump Derangement Syndrome…read a book or something smfh 😔
Outraged says
It is absolutely DISGUSTING to treat (ABUSE) poor defenseless animals like this.
Carolyn Moore Loveland’s mugshot should be shown, not just a photo from behind showing her getting arrested.
By the way, when I saw the original post on Facebook about this story at the beginning of the week, I immediately reached out to the email address given on the Facebook post as I wanted to offer my help in the request for fostering these poor dogs. I’ve donated funds before, but I was also very willing to foster 2+ dogs from this situation. Never heard back. I’ve reached out in past years other times offering to foster but never heard back, ever.
Now and in the future, can anyone tell me how to contact S.M.A.R.T. to let them know there are others in the community willing to help but there’s never a reply and a lot of people do not know how to express interest in fostering the S.M.A.R.T rescues.
Can anyone tell me the best way to contact S.M.A.R.T. regarding fostering (now or in the future)? Meaning, NOT the e-mail address given on the Facebook posts because no one apparently checks the e-mail messages.
Kim says
Hi – Caroline is receiving 100’s of emails a day and almost at many calls etc. so please have patience as she is doing her best to make sure the pups are receiving what they need as this time – If you have any interest in Fostering please go on http://www.smartflagler.com and fill out the Foster form online – Currently the dogs are getting medical care and decompressing – All the forms are being collected and will be reviewed for possible placements when the pups are ready. We thank you for your support – watch for updates on the Smart Facebook page.
D. Francis says
@ Outraged … I share your outrage. Right now they are so overwhelmed that they are likely not able to individually respond to people right away. Their FB page and multiple posts by Caroline Johnson and other volunteers have thanked people for reaching out and helping. Each time they have stated that most of the dogs CAN’T yet be fostered or adopted due to their physical conditions. The veterinary staff and S.M.A.R.T. volunteers are working exhaustive hours to treat and rehab them so they get to the point of being well enough to be fostered or adopted. Also, anyone who is a new volunteer for fostering must be carefully checked to be sure they are a suitable foster home, and that takes time. They are also on the NextDoor platform and swamped with messages there. I’ve reached out to them a few times in the past and they’ve always been very responsive. Right now I think they are treading water and are exhausted. Give them a few days and I’m sure they’ll get back to you. Thank you for your concern for the poor pups!
Keep Flagler Beautiful says
Happy to send a donation to SMART. As usual, a rescue group has to pick up the tab for some callous, irresponsible person who let her dogs breed indiscriminately, then decided dumping them was the way to deal with the problem. Those dogs were disposed of somewhere near US 1. They didn’t have a chance with the type of traffic on that road. I hope when Loveman faces a judge, she is not only given the maximum punishment for what she did but also required to make full restitution to SMART for their veterinary and other expenses, even if it takes the rest of her life to pay it off.
Taxpayer says
This is the second situation of a hoarder in the City of PC that had so many animals in deployable conditions. I thought the City of PC had an Animal Control Department? How is this happening and not getting detected sooner?
Pat Stote says
Please post where we can send food from Amazon I would be happy to make a food donation. This is one of the most horrible stories. I’ve read in a long, long time.