attorney

‘Farmer Needs to Be Punished': Santa Clara County DA Adds More Charges in Animal Cruelty Case

The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office on Tuesday added six new animal cruelty felony charges against a 24-year-old San Jose man.

In total, Robert Farmer faces 10 felony animal abuse charges and one misdemeanor for being under the influence of meth when he was arrested on Oct. 8.

Farmer, who is in custody, did not enter a plea during Tuesday's court appearance.

The DA's office on Friday released photos of two cat collars, hoping their owners will come forward and help them in the investigation.

June Rovai came forward to claim one of the collars, which belonged to her cat, Traveler. Rovai assumed Traveler was lost until investigators said they found his black and white collar in Farmers car, alongside a dead cat.

"I didn't know I could hate," Rovai said. "I do hate him. I hate him."

Rovai still does not know exactly what happened to Traveler, but on Tuesday joined other victims to speak out on the steps of the courthouse.

"We miss him so much, all because what Farmer did," victim Miriam Petrova said.

Petrova's cat, GoGo, was last seen in surveillance video showing Farmer trying to catch him in the front yard of a San Jose home.

"Farmer needs to be punished, and he needs help," Petrova said.

Animal lovers and grieving pet parents are calling for justice as they mourn their losses.

"You cry, then you begin to think about what happened to that animal," Rovai said. "What this guy might have done to them."

Farmer is scheduled to return to court next month. His attorney did not comment on the case Tuesday.

Contact Us