Animal Horder

**CarolsCritterCare** · 10-15-2007, 12:30 PM

Quote:

October 13th

It is just past midnight and I have finally returned home from our second day on the scene of one of this area's worst animal hoarding situations ever reported. TAILS was called in to assist with what we were originally told was approximately 150 dogs and 50 cats in a home in the Rochelle area. I received the first call from the IL Department of Agriculture at about 6:00pm on Thursday. By Friday morning I had already enlisted the help of the TAILS staff and a large number of volunteers waiting for permission to enter the property and begin removing the animals. We received that permission at about 2:30 Friday afternoon and then spent the next three hours at the residence removing approximately 70 cats and most of the small dogs living inside.

The smell was overpowering and it burned our eyes as soon as we walked inside. It's so hard to imagine how these poor creatures managed to live 24/7 in this environment.

Kelly68 · 10-15-2007, 12:56 PM

That is so incredibly sad. Wonder if the owners were found. Will have to get something going their way. Stuff like that just makes me wanna cry for the poor animals and very angry for the owners who should live in those cages, in the dark in their own feces for a few months. That should be their punishment....do on to them as they did to others. GRRR!!!!!!!

**CarolsCritterCare** · 10-16-2007, 08:16 AM

Oh yes, according to the website Welcome! the owner was right there. She's a 67 yr old lady who thought she was helping.
Carol

**AJE** · 10-16-2007, 01:06 PM

WI & IL need our own TV slot on Animal Precinct! I think with the amount of animal abuse and neglect we need to deplict it does happen in the midwest. Not all folks here are decent. Animals have needs too! As for the Hoarder in this case, she really needed some education before "helping".

I'm glad most of the neglected found a better home.
Welcome!

**CarolsCritterCare** · 10-17-2007, 09:14 AM

I have been saying that for years

Quote:

WI & IL need our own TV slot on Animal Precinct!

When I took my Humane Officer class's I was shocked to see the lack of laws we have here in WI for animals.

NancyJo · 10-21-2007, 06:32 AM

How very sad!

Now for a shamefull plug of a organization I donate to, check out Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation, Inc.. They do great work and the stories one hears will just break your heart.

Lauri · 10-22-2007, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolsCritterCare

Oh yes, according to the website Welcome! the owner was right there. She's a 67 yr old lady who thought she was helping.
Carol

I grew up on a farm. The entire family was needed to work on it daily including on school days. We milked the cows morning and night and cleaned the barns every day. The cows, chickens, pigs, dogs, cats, ducks, etc. were fed and well cared for. It took a tremendous amount of work to care for the animals and also grow and harvest the hay, grain, and corn they would eat during the winter. We didn't have time to "play" with our domesticated herd animals. Caring for their needs was all we had time to do. I believe most of the people who make headlines by making barns out of their homes with all those "pets" didn't realized how quickly their lives would be overpowered by the sheer volume of work needed to just feed and clean up after the animals in their care.

Sometimes people don't understand each additional critter compounds the caretaking problem. The 67 year old lady may have been financially destitute (couldn't afford to get her pet spaded), was probably lonely and turned to pets for companionship, and she probably had a big heart but may have had a failing body that couldn't keep up with the responsibilities and demands of pet ownership. I think we not only need better laws, but more importantly, we need to provide a safety net for people to turn to for help in resolving these awful scenarios.

**CarolsCritterCare** · 10-22-2007, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NancyJo

How very sad!

Now for a shamefull plug of a organization I donate to, check out Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation, Inc.. They do great work and the stories one hears will just break your heart.

Oh I have been here. They are located over in Pittsville, WI. This place is wonderful. The people there are exceptional with their devotion and care for the horses.

**CarolsCritterCare** · 10-22-2007, 08:55 AM

patience is what is being asked for right now. i know a lot of us hate to just "sit and wait" but that's what we need to do. if you do want to volunteer in some form- they could also use help AT the shelter itself, on top of the hoarder case, the shelter has another 200 animals at their shelter location who need regular attention, too. so let's not forget the kids that were already in need!! I have been contacted to see if I can help at all. I filled out their forms and we will see what happens.

The following list is not all the dogs, and CAT RESCUES MAY BE NEEDED!! The birds have already been placed into a bird rescue

19 Basset
10 Beagle
5 Bloodhound
2 Border Collie
10 Old English Bulldog
3 Bernese Mt. Dog
7 Cocker
4 Corgi
5 Dachshund
4 Gr. Pyrenees
5 Husky
5 Jap. Chin
1 Mastiff - blind
2 PBGV (Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen?)
4 Pug
3 St. Bernard