One House, 83 Cats

Jaclyn Allen The Humane Society of Weld County is now dealing with even more cats and kittens from a single home. Officers were first called to the home on 16th Avenue in Greeley in June when the resident, 85, was hospitalized. Animal control officers removed 60 cats from the home. Traps were set up outside. Since then, animal control has captured more than a dozen cats, and they expect to trap more. Elaine Hicks with the Humane Society of Weld County told 7NEWS two of the rescued cats have since had kittens, bringing the total number of cats from that home to 83. Six of the cats have passed away..." More

60 cats seized from condemned Greeley house

More than 60 cats have been seized from a Greeley woman living in a condemned home.

Police said they learned of the cats when their 85-year-old owner was hospitalized Thursday.

She has not been identified.

Neighbor Kayla Gardner said residents living near the woman have called before to complain about a bad smell coming from her house.

One neighbor said she trapped two cats from the house, but the owner went into their backyard to take the cats back.

Sixty cats were seized, and Greeley Police Sgt. Susie West said at least four more cats were thought to be inside.

The house has been condemned by city building inspectors..." More

Malnourished macaws rescued from condemned Colorado home

The Gabriel Foundation was contacted by the Pueblo Community Animal Shelter in Pueblo, CO on January 20, 2010, and asked to assist in the rescue of 40+ birds from a condemned home. It turned out to be one of the worst days in TGF's history.

Learn the horrendous details by reading the whole story as told by Gaye Thomasson, TGF Volunteer Coordinator and member of the rescue team. Share it with everyone you know.

Watch video of the story from CBS4 News in Denver (1/22/2010).

Read the story from The Pueblo Chieftain (1/21/2010).

Please make a donation for the Pueblo Flock NOW. We need your help more than ever before to give these birds a chance at a better life. Your donation can SAVE A LIFE.

CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR 100% TAX DEDUCTIBLE, SECURE, ONLINE DONATION

On January 22, the Pueblo Flock of 42 birds (39 macaws and 3 cockatoos) were transported safely from the Pueblo Community Animal Shelter to The Gabriel Foundation headquarters in Denver. Special buildings were constructed in record time for them to be housed. The birds are getting settled into their new quarters with big, clean cages, fresh food, toys, medical attention and loving care.

We are blown away by the interest that has been shown in helping the Pueblo Flock. We are working tirelessly to get them settled. They will be available for sponsorship soon; and following quarantine and full evaluation, some may be available for foster or adoption. There are many other birds waiting to be sponsored or adopted right now, so please consider them if you are looking to help.

Thank you to our amazing volunteers and staff who have made this transition as seamless as possible. And, thank you to everyone who has shown such generosity to this special flock that has been through so much - please help whenever you can, this flock has a long road to recovery.

Dreampower Animal Rescue Overwhelmed With Dogs

By: McKenzie Martin

Dreampower Animal Rescue needs your help. In the past few weeks the organization has taken in more than 20 dogs as the result of two different animal hoarding cases in El Paso County.

Some of the dogs need temporary homes, others permanent, and officials at Dreampower say they are overwhelmed.

"There were over 50 at the property," said Aubrey Eastman, Director of Operations at Dreampower. That property was at a home off Scott Road in Calhan. When deputies went to the home last week on a complaint of animal cruelty they say 71-year-old Norma Scott pulled a gun on them. She was arrested and Dreampower says she was hoarding dogs.

"It's a mental illness and people don't realize that they are doing anything negative to the dogs. They think they are the best home and they just keep accumulating them to the point where they can't handle all the feeding and care," said Eastman.

Nine of the dogs went to Dreampower including an 8-week-old puppy. Others went to the Humane Society and other shelters in the area.

"They were living in their own feces, eating out of a truck and living on an abandoned motor home," Eastman said.

Volunteers at Dreampower will do their best to get them socialized so they can hopefully all find new homes, while the investigation against their owner continues..." More

Aurora bird breeder receives deferred sentence

By ADAM GOLDSTEIN

A bird breeder who had more than 100 parrots, macaws, conures and other animals seized from her home last year has gotten 35 of the animals back, following a deferred judgment by a local court.

In September 2009, the city’s Animal Care Division seized 111 birds from the Aurora home of Lisa McManus, a bird breeder who had been featured on websites for several local and international aviary societies that specialize in parrots, macaws and other exotic birds. Animal Care Division spokesmen claimed that the animals were treated cruelly and forced to live in inhumane conditions.

A deferred judgement made by a city court in October mandated that McManus would be able to reclaim 35 birds of her choosing, as long as she followed specific conditions. According to the judgment, McManus had to buy clean cages and get rid of the soiled bedding, dead mice and other refuse that was found during initial inspections by Animal Care officers.

According to the terms of the judgement, Animal Care officers will also conduct monthly inspections of the property for one year to see that McManus complies with the conditions.

After failing inspections twice, city officials said McManus filled the terms of the judgement and reclaimed 35 of the original 111 birds. The rest of the animals were remitted to a local bird rescue shelter.

The October judgment also mandated that McManus pay about $12,000 in impound fees, vet bills and boarding of animal charges. McManus paid the fines, but in a restitution hearing held on Jan. 12, McManus was ordered to pay an additional $8,344, according to city spokeswoman Kathy Cable.

Lisa McManus’ husband, Alan McManus, was also charged in the animal cruelty case. According to Cable, Alan McManus plead guilty to “care of confined animals” charges. The case agains Lisa and Alan McManus will remain open for one year, and will be dismissed if the couple do not any incur any additional violations......" More

Cable said that the couple will not be able to breed birds during the next year, and they can have no more than the 35 birds they reclaimed from the city.

Woman Hoards 60 Cats In Trailer Home

Jaclyn Allen

A Jefferson County woman is accused of hoarding as many as 60 cats inside her trailer home.

Animal control officers, though, said it wasn't a typical case of cat hoarding.

"I never had any idea she had 50 or 60 cats," said Tracy Stewart, who lived just two doors down from the 58-year-old woman. "You'd expect there to be an odor with someone having that many. I never had any indications."

Last month, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office responded to a call of a large number of animals in the home at 15150 S. Golden Road.

Officers have since seized 33 of the animals and plan to go back this week to seize most of the rest.

"It just snowballed on her," said Mark Techmeyer, public information officer with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. "They weren't spayed or neutered. They started breeding, and her little family just kept growing. She loved her animals."

So much so, neighbors said they often saw her bringing home cat food, but not food for herself.

They said her water is shut off, but that she always took care of her cats.

It's not unusual for animal control officers to come in contact with cat hoarders, but officers said this case was surprising.

"These cats were in pretty good shape," said Techmeyer. "The environment was in pretty good shape, which is not what you normally see in these hoarding situations. So this is a rare case."

Also rare -- the cat owner has been cooperative with authorities, admitting things had gotten out of control and voluntarily giving up her pets to shelters across the area..." More & video

Samuel & Diane Walker: Pawsatrack Racing Sled Dogs, Colorado

Dec 30, 2009: Kennel owners released on bail in cruelty case

By Howard Pankratz

Samuel and Diane Walker, owners of the Pawsatrak Racing Sled Dog Kennel near Hartsel, turned themselves in Christmas Day in connection with allegations of animal cruelty.

An arrest warrant was issued for the couple Dec. 23. After their arrest at the Park County Jail in Fairplay, they posted $2,000 bail and were released.

Their next court appearance is 9 a.m. Jan. 4.

The couple have been charged with two counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals and 30 counts of cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor..." More

Dec 28, 2009: Couple Surrenders In Sled Dog Abuse Case

The couple who owned more than 100 sled dogs seized after they were reportedly found starving in "deplorable conditions" has turned themselves in to face animal cruelty charges, officials said Monday.

Samuel and Diane Walker turned themselves in at the Park County Jail on Christmas Day, according to the Park County Sheriff's Office. They were released after both posted $2,000 in bail.

The Walkers were charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony, and 30 counts of cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor, officials said..." More

Dec 18, 2009:Starving Huskies Seized In Massive Park County Rescue Operation

About 100 Huskies, raised for sled racing but found starving and living in what has been described as "deplorable conditions," were rescued Thursday as part of a two-day around-the-clock operation.

Park County sheriff's investigators and representatives of the state veterinarian's office seized the dogs from a rural mountain property off County Road 53, south of Hartsel.

The sickest dogs were seized Wednesday and investigators returned Thursday to seize the remainder of the animals, said Park County Undersheriff Monte Gore.

As many as 90 Husky and Husky-mix dogs were underweight and not properly fed, Gore said. Eight of the dogs had died..." More

Animal control officer fired for inaction

Timothy Erin Olofson

GREELEY - Greeley police have fired an animal control officer who failed to respond to a complaint regarding an animal hoarding house in the city.

On July 31, police seized 102 animals - including dogs and cats - from a Greeley home.

They were acting on a tip. But a similar tip had come in on July 7 and police say the animal control officer who handled that call basically ignored the complaint.

Greeley police started an internal investigation following the seizure.

This week, Sgt. Joe Tymkowych, spokesperson for Greeley police, said the animal control officer was terminated.

Saying it's a personnel matter, Tymkowych did not release the officer's name..." More

August 6, 2009: Greeley Man Faces Nearly 200 Charges In Animal Abuse Case

Missing Pets May Have Been Found

WELD COUNTY, Colo. -- Greeley police have arrested a man accused of hoarding more than 100 animals -- dead and alive -- in his home.

Timothy Erin Olofson, 38, was arrested Thursday night for investigation of animal abuse and neglect.

Olofson is being held in the Weld County jail on 74 counts of failure to provide treatment in a humane manner, 62 counts of failing to inoculate dogs and cats and 62 counts of failing to license a dog or cat. All of the charges are unclassified misdemeanors. Each charge carries a

penalty of up to a $1,000 fine and/or one year in jail.

His bond was set at $5,000.

Greely police seized the 102 animals from Olofson's home, located at 403 26th Avenue Court, last Friday. Living in squalor were 52 cats, 10 dogs, two guinea pigs, eight rats and two rabbits. In his freezer were 28 dead animals, police said.

Several of the animals were taken to the Weld County Humane Society. Executive Director Elaine Hicks said most of the animals were in good health, except for a few cats with respiratory problems, an eye infection and one dog that looked emaciated..." More

Aug 3, 2009: Police knew about animal hoarding house a month ago

GREELEY - Police removed more than 100 animals from a Greeley home Friday, even though they knew about the illegal situation on July 7.

Dallas Staley, a real estate agent in Fort Collins, was trying to sell the house in question.

Early last month, she says her son went inside and discovered the deplorable conditions.

"The poop and everything was caked all over the carpets," Staley said.

Staley called Greeley police, but she says the officer came up with every reason not to take action.

"It didn't matter," she said. "He wasn't going to do anything."

Three weeks later, an appraiser saw the same conditions at the same house and did the same thing Staley did: He called police.

But this time, they acted.

They removed 52 cats, two rabbits, eight rats and two guinea pigs. They also found 28 dead cats in a freezer in the home.

Staley now questions what happened to both her tip and the animals.

"I wonder how many died in between there ... How many suffered between there, that's my concern," she said.

Greeley police acknowledge something might have gone wrong.

"We had the initial call on the 7th and it was apparently not followed up on as we would have preferred, given what's been said and we're still investigating that," Sgt. Joe Tymkowych said..." More & Video

Greeley Police Find 102 Live, Dead Animals In Home

"...There were 28 dead animals in a freezer and 57 live cats. Police also found rabbits, rats, 10 dogs and two guinea pigs..."