News
Ranchester Woman Sentenced for Animal Cruelty
A 55-year-old Ranchester woman was sentenced for animal cruelty in Fourth Judicial District Court Monday. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.
On July 19, 2025, the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office received a report of possible animal cruelty at a residence on Soldier Creek Road in Sheridan County. Sheriff’s Office deputies, once on scene, discovered two dead dogs in an entryway room to a home that was being rented by Jeniffer Miller. A subsequent investigation by the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office led to the arrest of Miller. She was initially charged with two counts of felony animal cruelty, but those charges were later amended to misdemeanors and Miller pleaded no contest to two counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty.
Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Boot Hill, one of the investigators in the case, testified at a sentencing hearing Monday that when he arrived on scene on July 19, the smell was putrid and there were flies all over the place. Hill testified that once a search warrant of the home was obtained, he and another deputy were let in by a ranch hand of the Cato Ranch where the home was located. Deputy Hill said there were two dead dogs locked in a small entryway room to the house and there was no food or water for the animals.
Hill also testified the room was stifling hot as it was the middle of summer and the room nor home had any type of temperature control. Hill said that the two dogs, a mother and its puppy, were laying curled up together and were deceased.
At sentencing, Sheridan County Attorney Dianna Bennett argued for the maximum sentence for each charge, which is six months in jail, because the defendant locked the dogs in a hot room and failed to provide food or water, essentially leaving them there to suffer and eventually die.
District Court Judge Ben Kirven contemplated all of the testimony and evidence in the case for several minutes before issuing the sentence. Judge Kirven sentenced Miller to six months in jail on each count and to run the sentences consecutively and suspend all but seven days.
Miller was also placed on one year of unsupervised probation and received credit for three days of presentence confinement and was ordered to pay $400 in court costs and assessments. She will not be allowed to be in possession of any animals during her probationary period. Following the sentencing hearing, Miller was handcuffed and shackled and taken to the Sheridan County Detention Center to serve her four days in jail.
I’m Ron Richter, Sheridan Media News.
Barbara Burfisher
April 13, 2026 at 6:50 pm
It’s shocking that people who are so blatantly cruel to animals would get off so lightly. Jail sentence and fines were minimal, and to Ever allow her to have another animal is unbelievable!
Catherine Radach
April 14, 2026 at 7:23 am
So she can have animals in a year to kill them again? Classy
Pete Korsch
April 14, 2026 at 6:33 pm
Hopefully she learns what she did was unacceptable and change comes for her and any animals shes around or owns. Prayers
Melodi Anderson
April 14, 2026 at 8:23 am
It’s disgusting that she was let off so lightly, she should have had to serve her full jail time and never be allowed to own animals again! Disappointing for sure!
Shelly Weger
April 14, 2026 at 8:40 am
She Should NEVER BE ALLOWED to have Pets Again! I Pray she doesn’t have Children either. What a SICK WOMAN! Shame on You Sheridan Judge for your light sentence.
Joanne K Isom
April 14, 2026 at 9:20 am
Unbelievably light sentence. And she can own animals again after unsupervised probation? Just shameful.
Clay Forni
April 15, 2026 at 9:51 pm (Edit)
Definitely should never be allowed to own pets clear disreguard for their safety and well being why would you allow her to have pets after probation people need to be severly punished for crimes like this so the rest of the world knows its no joke take care of your pets or just dont get one
Steve Melneck
April 16, 2026 at 5:08 am (Edit)
Why a suspended sentence? The dogs didn’t get that, They got the death sentence! If people like this are sentenced to the max, Maybe, Just maybe, People would think twice about what would happen to them if they did it!
Gail Austin
April 16, 2026 at 8:47 am
That’s judges for you. They don’t do their jobs and then wonder why there are crimes.
Cindy Livingston
April 16, 2026 at 9:17 am
6 months in jail is all there is for animal cruelty ? Please, someone get a petition going to increase the maximum sentence. Also, please make sure she is placed on the Do not Adopt list at the Dog and Cat Shelter as well as all of the area rescues.