Paso Robles woman charged in gruesome animal cruelty case
February 21, 2025
Laurie Bryant
By KAREN VELIE
A Paso Robles woman is facing seven felony counts of animal cruelty after animal control officers rescued six cats living in a filthy apartment amid the dead bodies and bones of 40 other cats, a sea of cat feces, and piles of trash.
The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office filed seven felony counts against Laurie Bryant on Feb. 10. She faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a $20,000 fine.
If convicted, it is likely the court will prohibit Laurie Bryant from owning or caring for animals for a period of time.
CalCoastNews interviewed the owner of the apartment, witnesses and residents regarding the alleged animal cruelty.
After suffering a health issue in 2020, Jackie Bryant, the owner of the Presidio Apartments, moved into an assisted living facility. Jackie Bryant then tasked her daughter Laurie Bryant with managing the apartment complex where both her daughter and son lived in adjacent units.
Presidio Apartments
In Oct. 2023, Laurie Bryant moved into her mother’s home, though neighbors said she left most of her belongings behind. Jackie Bryant instructed her daughter to clean the apartment and rent it out, she said.
At first Laurie Bryant showed up daily at her former unit to feed the cats, then it was weekly or monthly, neighbors said.
In June or July of 2024, Stephan Bryant drove his mother to the Presidio Apartments to let her see for herself the condition of his sister’s former unit. Halfway up the stairs to Laurie Bryant’s apartment, the smell was overwhelming, Jackie Bryant said.
Bathtub full of cat feces at apartment in Paso Robles
Shortly afterwards, four cats escaped through a screened window. While residents attempted to rescue the starving cats, Laurie Bryant said they belonged to her. Laurie Bryant took one of the escaped cats with her when she left that day, according to witnesses.
Following up on a complaint, on Aug. 16, 2024, SLO County Animal Services discovered the gruesome apartment with a bathtub full of feces and the bodies of 40 dead cats. Animal services employees rescued six living cats from the apartment and opened an investigation into animal cruelty.
After learning of the damage to the apartment, Jackie Bryant hired a hazmat crew to clean the unit. She said she needed to remove and replace flooring, drywall and cabinets before she can rent the unit.
In 2017, Laurie Bryant and Tribune columnist Sandee Hunt-Burns founded the Facebook page SLO County News. Shortly after animal services discovered the dead cats, Bryant stepped down from her administrator role.
Because we believe the public needs the facts, the truth, CalCoastNews has not put up a paywall because it limits readership. However, we are seeking qualification as a paper of record, which will allow us to publish public notices, but it requires 5,000 paid subscribers.
Your subscription will help us to continue investigating and reporting the news.
Support CalCoastNews, subscribe today, click here.
The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com. Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not. Comment Guidelines