BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio – Julie Larish, the Belmont County Humane Agent and treasurer of animal rescue group Belmont County Hoof & Paw, was live Monday morning in the River Talk Studios with host Dimitri Vassilaros to answer serious allegations of fraud and animal neglect leveled against her by other animal advocates.
Larish and Amber Bowen, secretary for Belmont County Hood & Paw, spoke on Dimitri: Live & Dangerously Local!
Larish says dealing with the allegations has been a “nightmare.”
it’s been a living nightmare for this group.
Julie Larish, Belmont County Humane Agent and Treasurer of Belmont County Hoof & Paw
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is currently investigating Larish following two complaints alleging fraud and animal neglect. The complainants are Lisa Higgenbotham and Cindi Yanez, both of St. Clairsville. Yanez is the Harrison County, Ohio Dog Warden.
Larish said she learned about the allegations when River News Network contacted her.
Larish said she would answer the allegations, but first she offered information about her background, saying she was an Ohio Valley native who left the area in 1995 and returned 20 years later. She said she rescued horses in Idaho then offered to help the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office with livestock rescue when she returned.
She says she became a Humane Agent and opened Belmont County Hoof & Paw in 2019 after seeing repeat offender animal abusers go unpunished, citing a local farm where hundreds of animals were found dead.
Larish explained that she takes a long time to complete an investigation and denounces critics who claim she only takes animal abuse cases she can win in court.
i don’t speed through cases.
Julie Larish, Belmont County Humane Agent and Treasurer of Belmont County Hoof & Paw
Larish said she looked up to Yanez but thinks Yanez disagreed with the way she handled two cases, including one in Barnesville, Ohio where a dog adopted from the Harrison County Dog Shelter was allegedly starved to death in a basement.
Larish claims the Barnesville Police Department told her they did not have probable cause to enter the home, so she could not do anything to help the dog. When she finally gained access to the house, she found the only outline of the dog’s body on the floor with fur and “oily” matter. Larish said Yanez likely approved the adoption of this dog to the people who allegedly killed it, but Yanez probably thought it was an appropriate placement.
She said most of the dogs she investigates are close to dying in the next 48 hours.
She said she first does a welfare check on the animal and determines what the issue is and if she can help. For example, are the owners not properly feeding the animal, is it receiving vet care, and does it have an underlying health issue like Lyme disease or Cushing’s?
Bowen moved to Belmont County from Orange County, California in 2021 and Larish helped her board her two horses. Bowen insists that Larish takes good care of those horses and denies seeing any deplorable conditions or animal abuse or neglect on Larish’s property.
Larish lives on the property at 49586 Key Road in Jacobsburg where she runs Belmont County Hoof & Paw. She also ran another animal group, RJ Ranch, at that same location. In 2016, then-Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine filed a lawsuit in Franklin County court against Larish and the ranch following a complaint and subsequent investigation into finances and solicitations.
Larish and RJ Ranch, Inc. entered into an “assurance of discontinuance” with the Ohio AG after the AG determined that they had “reason to believe that Defendants are in violation of the Ohio Charitable Organizations Act, the Ohio Charitable Trust Act and common law…”
DeWine found that Larish and RJ Ranch breached their fiduciary duties, failed to maintain true records of their solicitation activities, and provided false or misleading information in response to requests from the Attorney General.
Larish told Dimitri that there were no criminal charges regarding her and RJ Ranch.
Bowen and Larish say they have 31 dogs in rescue now. Larish said they also have some horses which cannot be ridden due to health issues and lack of training. They plan to send some of those horses to a sanctuary in Kentucky.
Larish denies having any financial issues. She said a church in Warnock, Ohio gave Belmont County Hoof & Paw a $25,000 donation and said she has bank records from Huntington Bank to show she made the deposit. One complaint to the Ohio AG says the money cannot be found. Larish said she provided the past 24 months of bank records to the Ohio AG along with all meeting minutes except Jan. 2024 which were misplaced.
Larish says Belmont County Hoof & Paw relies on donations to operate. She said they received $49,000 in donations last year. She also receives $200 per month from Belmont County general funds for her work as the county humane agent.
Dimitri noted that some of the allegations against Larish are personal and directed at her family. Larish said there is a history of animal groups fighting each other online and in personal attacks but she insists she has nothing to hide.
We will hear more about this case on Wednesday from the perspective of Larish’s accusers.
Ashley Barto, another Belmont County animal advocate opposed to Larish, will be live in-studio Wednesday morning, Oct. 23, at 7 a.m. on Dimitri: Live & Dangerously Local! to respond to Larish’s remarks.
