Desoto County breeder sentenced for neglect; animals now rehomed

A DeSoto woman is back in jail after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including confining animals without sufficient food and water, forging a vet certificate, cruelty to animals, and fraud.

Rose Anne Romano's case shocked Southwest Florida when it became public in 2021. Five years later, the case is closed.  

Romano was taken into custody on Wednesday following her plea agreement. She was sentenced to two years in prison followed by eight years of probation for a multitude of animal and fraud-related crimes.

"I was glad we were able to rescue the animals, get them out of that situation and place them in reputable rescues so that they could get homes," said Susan Brodowsky, a supervisor with Desoto County Animal Services.  

In 2021, WINK News reported on Romano's husky breeding facility, "Strawberry Farms," located in DeSoto County. At the time, detectives with the Desoto County Sheriff's Office described the conditions they discovered at the facility.

"All of them had no food water, fresh air," said Sgt. Jennifer Bailey, back in 2021.

"Going into the puppy room, where they had a fenced area, and there was nothing but feces and urine covering the floor," said First Lt. Jose Raya, back in 2021.

The DeSoto County Sheriff, James F. Potter, issued a statement following the sentence, saying, "The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office is staunchly against animal cruelty. We will continue to investigate incidents of animal abuse vigorously. If you see something, say something."

In an interview with WINK News Friday, Brodowsky with animal services said they rescued 55 dogs from the puppy mill, along with other animals such as cats, a lizard, a snake, and a tank full of feeder mice.

"We started getting phone calls about the animals, and we got in touch with the Sheriff's Department, who picked up the investigation, and then they called us when they were ready to go in and remove the animals," said Brodowsky. 

Brodowsky said all these years later, they've all found homes and have been adopted. "Even the snake and the lizard got a home," she said.

"They all went to rescue after we got legal custody of them. We had four different rescue groups that took those animals," said Brodowsky. 

Brodowsky noted that there has been one puppy mill raid in Desoto County since the raid of Strawberry Farms in 2021.