Sheri Allen, known locally for being temporarily in charge of the For Love of Cats and Kittens sanctuary here, faces 13 misdemeanor charges related to animal neglect and cruelty.

The charges involve the condition in which her own animals were found at her home. They do not reflect the animals rescued from the sanctuary last year.

Allen was arrested in early August after Nye County Animal Control officers confiscated over 100 cats from her residence.

The cats, according to the Nye County Sheriff's Office, were found in various stages of ill health and in filthy conditions.

Allen has continually maintained only a few of the cats were ill and were given proper veterinary care.

She has also stated the condition of her home was exaggerated by the media and the sheriff's office.

Allen was originally booked on 125 counts of animal cruelty and was released after posting a $7,900 bail.

"We examined the case and all the evidence, and this is what can be filed," explained Nye County District Attorney Bob Beckett.

He went on to stress the seriousness of the charges, despite being misdemeanors, pointing out that Allen could be sentenced to up to six months for each of the individual charges.

"Ultimately it's up to the judge to decide, but there can still be severe consequences," Beckett said.

Charges have yet to be filed against Allen or anyone else regarding the 700 starving, dehydrated, and mostly sick cats that were found at the FLOCK sanctuary, on Bond Street, last summer.

Animal control officers temporarily turned the sanctuary over to the Best Friends Animal Society.

Best Friends workers and many volunteers throughout the valley camped out at the sanctuary and worked on cleaning it, treating the cats and finding them good homes through a number of adoption events.

The rescue operation, reportedly costing the organization $600,000 and the largest of its kind in the nation, was ultimately successful with the last 15 of the cats being transported to Best Friends' no-kill sanctuary in Kanab, Utah.

Unfortunately, 60 of the cats had to be euthanized.

The question of who is ultimately to blame for the conditions at the sanctuary is one that the district attorney's office (along with Allen and FLOCK) is still struggling with.

Beckett said his office is currently considering filing charges against the nonprofit corporation.

"We're looking to see who specifically is culpable," Beckett said. "We want to be absolutely sure we're charging the right people."

Maggie Ward, president of FLOCK, has said the executive board of the organization became aware of conditions at the sanctuary just before it was reported to animal control.

Ward said in a previous interview with this paper that she believed Allen began accepting more cats than she or the sanctuary could handle.

She also said Allen began allowing only select volunteers into the sanctuary.

The FLOCK board members inspected the shelter last May 28 and found it in what Ward called "horrible condition."

When the board notified Allen of a meeting May 30, Ward said the board members arrived to find Allen and her belongings gone.

Allen maintains that she notified the board of her intent to resign and left the sanctuary and the cats in good condition.

Nye County Animal Control officers reportedly became aware of the facility after a FLOCK volunteer gave them a tip in early July.

Ward has said it was FLOCK that contacted Best Friends prior to county officers contacting the group July 13, 2007.