A woman accused of animal cruelty, in charge of managing a Paso Robles apartment complex, may have her charges dismissed. 63-year-old Laurie Bryant was charged with seven felony counts of animal cruelty by the DA’s office on February 10, 2025.
In October 2024, hazmat crews cleaned out an apartment at 1040 chestnut street, with 40 dead cats inside of it, along with layers of trash and cat feces across the rooms. On Monday, a superior court judge approved Bryant’s motion for a mental health diversion court, a program that monitors mental health treatment for qualifying criminal defendants, pausing their proceedings during that time. Her charges could be dismissed if she completes the program successfully.
District attorney Dan Dow announced their office has objected to this grant, saying “the suffering and death of so many animals should not be resolved without accountability.”
