Gainesville woman arrested after neighbors report suspected abuse of her dog
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dazah Nicole Richards, 25, was arrested yesterday on a warrant for animal cruelty after neighbors reported that they believed she was abusing her dog.
A Gainesville Police Department officer investigated the complaints from people who live near Richards at Gainesville Place Apartments; one neighbor told the officer that Richards hit her dog with a broom on October 17, then threatened the dog, tapping it with the broom handle and pushing it upstairs to her apartment. The witness told the officer that he protested the treatment of the dog, saying it was unfair, and Richards told him she treated the dog as a child and was raised differently than him. The witness said he heard the dog whining and squealing after it went into Richards’ apartment. He said he went to her door to confront her about it, and she allegedly threatened to hit him with a belt. He gave the officer video that reportedly showed Richards following the dog with a belt in her hand.
Another neighbor told the officer that he has seen Richards using a belt on the dog while yelling at the dog.
A third neighbor said he heard the dog squealing on October 17 and heard the verbal argument between Richards and the first neighbor. He said he has heard the dog yelping and whining for about two months and said the dog has lived with Richards since February.
A fourth neighbor said he moved in three months ago and hears a dog yelping every day. He said the noises sound like the dog is in distress and is being abused.
A fifth neighbor said she first heard the dog being abused around March and added, “It sounded like when you step on a dog by accident but it was over and over again.” She said she has seen Richards following the dog with a belt while cursing, but she has not personally seen Richards abusing the dog.
A sixth neighbor said she first heard the dog being abused in March and that she has seen Richards hit the dog with a belt, a shoe, and her hands.
Richards has no criminal convictions but has been arrested for domestic battery and had a sworn complaint filed in a second domestic battery case; she was also arrested for child abuse in 2021. All the charges were dropped. Judge Kristine Van Vorst set bail at $25,000 with the condition that Richards have no contact with animals.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
She is the worst kind of human, she should get beat with a belt every day and see how she likes it.
Plenty of anger in her. Dangerous with a belt. Help is needed.
Sad truth is, she probably was beat with a belt. That’s why she told the neighbor that she treated the dog as a child (how she was treated) and she was raised “differently”than him.
Would be interesting to look at the police report and sworn complaints filed (child abuse) against her, that were dropped.
Lots of kids are spanked with belts and grow up to be totally normal people. I’m guessing the problem is that she WASN’T punished and taught how to act, like so many others here. Thinking she was “over-disciplined” is a big stretch, especially here in Gangsville.
Actually she wasn’t beat at all growing up. Comes from a great home, raised in middle class living her whole life.
I hope someone can rehabilitate this poor pup. Makes me sick to think now that dog is at risk and could very well be euthanized bc of the torture. Seriously, one witness said they heard it everyday SINCE MARCH… 8 months of abuse. For hours!!!!
People should mind their own business. A dog is property. She’s free to do as she pleases with it.
Gilberto you are dead wrong! Beating a defenseless animal is cruel and demented.
A pet is more than “property”
Give that dog to someone who will give it the care it deserves. And lock up this anger riddled woman.
Please seek MH help along with her. By the way you are not minding your own business by commenting.
Easy for you to say with anonymity, “GILBERTO DOMINGUEZ”.
That’s actually real name. 352-327-6056 is my number if you want to discuss further.
She looks like the south end of a Northbound mule. She doesn’t look like you could knock much sense into her.🤣🤣🤣
This situation is wrong and dogs or any pets should not be abuse. But I would like to see law enforcement and our community including everyone on this post with an opinion to keep the same energy when a dog attacks a human, like the GPD K9 that bit Mr. Bradley eye out. But the officer barely got suspended and not much happened to the k9. That k9 should have been put down and the officer should be in prison. But hit a dog with a belt and immediately jail and there the worst person in the world. I feel that a certain group of humans care about animals more than they care about the life of an actual certain group of humans if you know what I mean 😉
Oh yes. I agree. Hence my “pets are property” statement. Yet, I catch heat for it. Oh the irony.
Have your assertions about how Mr. Bradley lost his eye been proven or stipulated in a court? The many news articles at the time indicated he was hiding with his head in a bunch of trimmed bushes that could easily poke an eye out.