Harrison County couple charged with animal cruelty on trial

The trial began today for a Saucier couple charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty.

Sharon and Daniel Bertok were arrested and charged in 2020 after more than 100 animals were found living on their property in what Harrison County law enforcement calls ‘deplorable conditions.’

The couple’s lawyer, Michael Crosby, says his clients are good people who dedicated their lives to keeping animals safe and out of kill shelters.

Crosby says the charges are especially troubling for the Bertoks, who have not been allowed to see their animals since they were taken away. “The Bertoks are good people with a fantastic reputation that dedicate their lives and home to animals who were unwanted by the world. This is a real travesty. This has hurt them very badly to be accused of doing the opposite of what they were doing. They were doing something very different. It’s all been a horrible misunderstanding.”

Some of the animals taken away included dogs, cats, birds, horses, a monkey, and more.