Sunday, August 12, 2012

Animal hoarders arrested; cats, dogs found in filth



By ELINOR J. BRECHER

The cops, prosecutors and pet rescuers who converged on Ileana Arnais and Rubin Dario Arrojo’s Hialeah townhouse Thursday knew that behind the front door they’d find horribly mistreated animals wallowing in urine and feces.
The affidavit that a judge signed authorizing a search warrant on the peach-colored townhouse, in the 5300 block of West 26th Avenue, described in nauseating detail dozens of sick, injured, starving, flea-ridden dogs and cats with eyes, ears and noses oozing mucous.
But the malodorous mess stunned even seasoned law enforcement officers. State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said a veteran prosecutor from the homicide division told her it was “the worst crime scene he’d ever seen.’’
Arnais and Arrojo, both 50, were arrested on 34 felony counts of animal cruelty “with intent to injure/kill’’ after a three-month investigation.
That’s just the number of dogs taken from the home between April 7 and May 7. Rescuers took at least 60 more on Thursday, and according to Hialeah police spokesman Carl Zogby, “there will be more charges coming.’’..."  More

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