MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. — A former volunteer at a local dog rescue under investigation for animal cruelty said she tried to 'take the owner down' years ago for a different investigation, however that case never rose to a criminal level.
Lisa Cober of Cober's Canine Rescue was arrested and charged with animal cruelty last week.
On Monday, Jan. 30, authorities say they executed a search warrant and seized 78 dogs from Cober's home in Norton Shores where she was operating the rescue.
Police said the home posed a significant health hazard to animals and called the living conditions deplorable.
The dogs are now being cared for at various area animal shelters.
13 ON YOUR SIDE spoke exclusively with the former volunteer who wanted to remain anonymous.
They gave us an inside look into one of Cober's former homes in Egleston Township where the dogs were allegedly kept in very similar conditions to her Norton Shores home.
This volunteer met Cober at an adoption event at PetSmart on Shermon in Muskegon in 2019 and even adopted two dogs from her.
One was sick, however, and Cober allegedly blamed the person who she got the puppies from -- which seemed believable to the volunteer at the time, because Cober hadn't had the puppies for very long.
Cober claimed she needed help caring for the dogs so this volunteer agreed to do so.
The volunteer showed pictures of the dogs Cober kept in her house on Apple Avenue where filthy floors can be seen.
The volunteer said Cober had at least 60 dogs in her home including five or more puppies in numerous crates. Plus a dozen more in an out building.
Multiple puppies had died of Parvo.
During the end of June, Cober allegedly went to Texas and picked up 30 puppies and dogs.
Township officials allegedly gave Cober multiple chances to remove the dogs from her property, though the volunteer told me they never actually went inside her home.
Ultimately, Cober was cited for having too many animals in her home July of 2019 and ended up moving out of the township thereafter.
A township official was unavailable for comment Monday.
Cober's probable cause conference will be held on Feb. 14.
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