Lisa Welborn - Illinois

Jun 22, 2012:  Neighbor defends woman arrested for animal hoarding

By Elizabeth Matthews

A 56-year-old woman was arrested and 30 animals taken from her home amid accusations of animal hoarding, the Madison County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.

According to Captain William Dimitroff, a sheriff's office spokesman, the Long Lake Fire Department and Ameren IP Corporation responded to a home in the 2500 block of Roney Drive after receiving calls reporting a natural gas odor.

Authorities discovered 25 dogs and 5 cats inside the home and saw the animals did not have proper vaccinations. The home was filled with pet feces and urine.

Dimitroff said sheriff's deputies were contacted and arrested the home owner, identified as Lisa Welborn. Madison County Animal Control officers responded and took custody of the animals.

Madison County Planning and Development determined the home unfit for occupancy and ordered the gas and electricity shut off completely.

Most people living around a situation like this might be annoyed, but not these neighbors. Everyone we talked to said Welborn was just trying to do the right thing..."  More & video

Jun 21, 2012:  Granite City Woman Faces Charges For Animal Hoarding


by George Sells

A Madison County, Illinois woman is under arrest for animal cruelty, and while there’s little debate that conditions in her home were deplorable, some are questioning whether she should have been arrested.  It was Thursday morning when a gas crew showed up at the home of Lisa Welborn, 56, and discovered twenty-five dogs and five cats living in squalor inside.

“Many of these animals were caged and isolated from each other which was part of the problem,” Madison County Sheriff’s Department Captain William Dimitroff said.  “The ones that were running free were running through feces, and urine, and hair, and based on these conditions, that was one of the reasons for the arrest.”

Welborn was jailed, held on $100 bond which she still hadn’t made Thursday night.  Her house was in such terrible condition that officials say it’s been declared unfit for occupancy.  But some of her neighbors say this is simply a case of a well-intentioned woman getting in over her head.

“Oh definitely it got blown out of proportion,” the neighbor across the street who only identified himself as Hans, said.  “Lisa is a very, very nice lady.  Quiet, keeps to herself.  Takes in strays and abused animals.  Takes them to the vet.  She finds homes for them.”

That assertion was backed up by Laura Beckmann of the Clinton County Humane Society further to the east of St. Louis.  Beckmann says Welborn has regularly brought dogs to them that were in need of homes.  And, in many cases, she had rescued those animals from horrific situations.

“That’s all we’ve ever known is she goes into absolute awful conditions and brings these dogs out and gets them moved into rescues as quickly as possible.”..."  More & video