Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A woman has been found guilty by a local jury in one of two criminal cases against her involving animal cruelty.

52-year-old Melissa Borden, owner of The Devoted Barn”, was found guilty on a felony count of abandoning/cruelty to 25 or more animals with a listed offense of December 26th, 2023. The trial lasted six days in Livingston County Circuit Court, and jurors deliberated for less than an hour before returning the verdict. Borden will be sentenced December 11th in this case.

The Livingston Daily first reported this story.

The group “Not Devoted – A Blog About The Devoted Barn” continues to follow the case and posted a lengthy statement following the trial. Below is a portion of that:

“We have always said that the evidence was overwhelming of her cruelty and neglect. Many former volunteers here on this page could testify to what they saw and heard while they were part of the rescue. Countless animals suffered in pain and died because she was either too busy or willfully callous in her responsibility to care for them. She has used this rescue as a personal slush fund to live a life while unemployed and telling donors that in exchange for her work the rescue pays her bills.”

The Devoted Barn was keeping different kinds of farm animals on property off Foley Road, east of Hartland Road in Tyrone Township. Numerous complaints were registered with authorities and a search warrant was executed in January of 2024 with 64 animals seized including goats, pigs, donkeys, sheep, a llama, and an alpaca. The animals were all relocated and evaluated. 4 pigs were euthanized.

Past volunteers raised concerns about the welfare of the animals. Complaints have included a lack of shelter, insufficient food, and multiple species being kept in the same pens. Borden has denied those accusations on social media. Borden earlier stated she was not willing to take a plea deal in the case, was not guilty, and was “looking forward to going to trial and the truth coming out”.

In the second court case, Borden is charged with abandoning or cruelty to 4 to 10 animals, with a listed offense of April 23rd, 2024. That was tied to animals being housed at a farm in Oceola Townships. Some were seized and others relocated. A motion hearing is set for November 13th before Judge Suzanne Geddis. It’s a defense motion to quash the case bind over.

Borden earlier agreed to surrender the animals and was ordered to pay more than $102,000 in costs for the county caring for the animals. She has also denied those cost estimate accusations on social media.

Meanwhile, the rescue has relocated in the past due to legal battles and issues with multiple municipalities – including Tyrone Township.

Borden had also been charged in Genesee County last April with animal abandoning/cruelty after authorities found dozens of crated dogs living in alleged filthy conditions on property off East Hill Road in Grand Blanc.

Sheriff Chris Swanson at the time told WNEM television "Melissa Border had left a trail of destruction in two other counties before they came to Genesee County. People like this, that have no business being in the animal care industry, can go from one county to the next to the next, and almost shop their geography. That's what happened here."

Court records show those charges were later dismissed without prejudice – meaning they could be re-filed at a future time.