Director at New Hope Rescue in Colorado Springs charged with animal cruelty

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The director of an animal rescue in Colorado Springs is facing felony animal cruelty charges.

Court records show New Hope Rescue Inc. Director Joann Roof was charged with animal cruelty, neglect, or mistreatment on August 23, 2020. She was not booked into jail for the charges, according to El Paso County Sheriff's Office.

When we called Roof to ask her about the charges, she told us she didn't know why she had been charged but said that it related to puppies that were already adopted out. We also reached out to her attorney for comment but have not yet heard back.

It's unclear exactly what Roof is accused of doing, but KRDO has requested court affidavits.

13 Investigates found this isn't the first time the animal rescue director has been charged with animal cruelty in Colorado.

El Paso County court records show Roof was charged with nine misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty in 2014. Court records show she accepted a guilty plea without admitting guilt in the case and was sentenced to six months of unsupervised probation and nearly $4,000 in fines.

According to court records, in 2015, Roof also previously pleaded guilty and then withdrew her plea after being charged with a misdemeanor case on charges of having a dangerous dog that caused death to another animal in Pueblo. Court records indicate she paid over $400 in restitution and court fees in that case that was eventually dismissed.

Roof is scheduled to be in court on Wednesday.