Saucier couple found not guilty in animal cruelty case

This afternoon, the Saucier couple charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty was found not guilty on all 107 counts.

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.’

Harrison County Animal Control, the Humane Society of South Mississippi, and Wild at Heart Rescue all came together to remove the animals from the property and cared for them. A few of the animals had to be euthanized due to their health conditions.

Detailed photos of the animals’ living conditions were presented in the trial. The county will have to pay for the expenses of the animals and upkeep that was needed while the animals were in their care.

The couple’s lawyer, Michael Crosby, says his clients are good people who dedicated their lives to keeping animals safe and they are happy to have some of their animals back. “All of this was just a big misunderstanding from the beginning. It was a tragic misunderstanding because the animals were removed from a loving and caring environment. The Bertoks tried to provide a home for animals that were rejected by society and bring them in and give them love and care.”

The couple will get back 21 of the animals that were seized out of the 108 taken into custody.