Why did Houston seize 1000 birds & animals?

Marguerite Matthews

Thursday, July 15th, over 1000 "animals" were taken from the home of a USDA licensed breeder in the Houston area. There are many aspects of the seizure that give pause. The facts of the case need to be clarified. The HSPCA may or may not be right in having had these animals taken.

Around Houston there are numbered precincts each of which employs constables to enforce the law. The seizure was reportedly carried out by constables from a neighboring precinct. The case is reportedly being heard by a judge several precincts away rather than by the local judge who has jurisdiction. Although on the day of the raid media reported no court date was set, the judicial arrangement and the decision to have the action carried out by constables from a different jurisdiction must have been made in advance of the seizure since, by Texas law, a hearing date must be set before a raid.

The HSPCA has a video posted. Watch it, with its superfly music, and tell me what you see that is so horrible. Yes, in my opinion, too many birds, but is not enough reason to raid an individual's home. The birds probably sound distressed because dozens of strangers have come into their home and they are afraid. Meera Nandlal, HSPCA Public Relations, was in charge of the seizure and stated the reason for the seizure as "poor environmental conditions and cruel confinement." ABC News noted some of the birds are "Extremely valuable" and asked when they would be "Up for adoption." If the county wins in court, this raid will bring money into the coffers of the HSPCA...." More

Hundreds of Highlands animals rescued from inhumane conditions

By CHRISTIAN PALMER

A tip recently led animal rescue personnel to 1,079 dogs, rabbits, hamsters and birds in inhumane conditions in Highlands. Most of the animals rescued were birds.

According to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the cages and bins that housed the animals were lined with waste, spider webs and old food. Some of the animals were dead or close to dying.

“These animals were rescued from deplorable, horrific conditions, and many lacked proper food and shelter as required by law” said Linda Geffin, chief of special prosecutions of Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan’s office.

Meera Nandlal, with the SPCA, said the home in the Highlands area was raided Thursday night.

The animals were being held at a property in Highlands. According to the Precinct 1 Deputy Constable’s Office the couple residing there has a breeder’s license and were likely breeding them for sale to pet shops or flea markets. However, that license may not be valid for long.

“Whether or not you have a breeder’s license, the animals do need to have proper food, water, shelter, care if they’re in your possession. So that is why the animals were removed,” said Meera Nandlal of the Houston SPCA.

Nandlal says many of the animals did not even have adequate food and water...." More

SPCA: Dead dogs found in freezer of North Houston home during rescue

by Stacy Morrow

Precinct 1 Constables seized Tuesday more than 160 dogs who were cramped inside a small north Houston home, said SPCA spokeswoman Meera Nandlal.

“There were four dead dogs that were found as well, and they were in the freezer,” Nandlal said.

The SPCA assisted Precinct 1 Constables in rescuing the animals from the home after investigators said they received an anonymous tip.

“There were dogs, literally, everywhere inside the home,” Nandlal said. “There were animals all over, from the living room, to the kitchen, the bedrooms to the bathrooms.”.." More & video

Pickett’s Pride - Houston, Texas

Houston SPCA rescues over 100 animals from breeder in Alvin

The SPCA rescued over 100 dogs and other animals from a breeder in Alvin Thursday night after discovering they were living in deplorable conditions.

Officials said some of the dogs and puppies were already dead when they got there.

There were so many animals, a big rig was used to haul them back to the SPCA in Houston.

Many of the dogs, which included dachshunds, Chihuahuas, American bulldogs and Pomeranians, were malnourished, SPCA officials said.

"Some of the animals had water. Some did not have water. Some of the animals were thin. Some of them looked like they had been fed. But all around, the conditions were just really, really horrible," Meera Nandlal of the SPCA said.

There were also horses, ponies and guinea pigs on the property that were rescued.

The SPCA said the breeder was cooperative, and it was not yet known what charges, if any, would be filed..." Video

Blog: American Bulldogs Seized in Houston from “Torture Chamber” & video

1,045 Animals Seized from TX Home

Man who gave up 1,009 animals charged with cruelty

• By PEGGY O'HARE

  
  

  A man who gave up more than 1,000 animals found in deplorable conditions and forfeited his northwest Houston home to the county to pay for their boarding and care was released from jail Monday after being arrested on two charges of misdemeanor animal cruelty.

  Joselito Rivera Boado, 34, whose property became the site of the largest animal seizure in U.S. history last month, is scheduled to be arraigned in court Oct. 19, said Harris County animal cruelty prosecutor Belinda Smith.

  Investigators descended on Boado's property at 6519 Breen Drive on Sept. 23 and found 1,009 animals in filthy conditions, most crammed into tight cages, many without basic necessities such as food and water. Both live and dead animals were found.

  The animals — including birds, ducks, chickens, parakeets, parrots, iguanas, hamsters, rats, three dogs and a goat — were seized and taken to the Houston SPCA. The Houston SPCA continues to ask for donations to help care for them since so many animals were taken into their facility.

  Boado said he was keeping the animals to sell them at flea markets. He agreed to give up all of the animals to the SPCA, while authorities agreed to release two of the dogs to his ex-wife.

  Boado also agreed to forfeit his home and land to Harris County to satisfy the animals' boarding and medical care costs — $213,458 — which authorities sought to make him pay. Appraisal district records show the home and land is valued at more than $142,000..." More

  
  

  
  

  Sept 30, 2009: Houston man to forfeit animals seized by SPCA

  
  

  By PEGGY O'HARE

  
  

  The owner of more than 1,000 animals seized by the SPCA agreed today to forfeit all but two of them to the agency.

  Joselito Rivera Boado, 34, also will vacate his northwest Houston house at 6519 Breen in 30 days and forfeit his house to the county to satisfy $213,458 in medical and boarding costs for the animals that were seized, according to an agreement announced in court today.

  The property is appraised at about $235,000. He still owes about $85,000, so its net worth is $150,000. He has waived his right to appeal this civil action.

  The agreement, however, does not preclude or prevent any criminal charges from being filed in this case. No charges have yet been filed.

  SPCA employees seized 1,009 animals from his property on Sept. 23. About 100 to 200 of the animals have died, said assistant county attorney Linda Geffin. Numerous animal skeletons also were found on the property, she said.

  Two dogs seized will be returned to Boado's ex-wife, once the animals are spayed and neutered and get a clean bill of health, officials said.

  Boado has lived at the property for about eight years.

  Justice of the Peace David Patronella presided over today's agreement in Justice of the Peace Dale Gorczynski's court..." Link & video

  
  

  September 24, 2009: Man Accused in Record SPCA Seizure Wants Animals Back

  
  

  The man at the center of what the SPCA calls the largest animal seizure in U.S. history says he wants his animals back.

  
  
  By: Steve Simmon
  
  
  The homeowner, who only wants to called "Joe", says he did not mistreat the animals.
  
  He gave 39 News a tour of his backyard in northwest Harris County. There are a lot of empty cages; it's the quietest it has been here in nearly eight years.
  
  "This morning I woke up at 8:30, usually its much earlier," Joe said.
  
  On Wednesday, an anonymous tip to the SPCA helped lead investigators to the house in the 6500 block of Breen.
  
  Investigators seized 1,045 different animals. Most are birds and ducks, and it also includes 250 different species of turtles.
  
  Joe says the two acre property is his home and a business he's been involved with for ten years. He says he buys the animals and later sells them at local flea markets.
  
  He says he's never had legal trouble, and claims an investigator with the Harris County Health Department gave him a satisfactory report last month.
  
  "I'm not one of these people that's involved in cock fighting or dog fighting, I'm trying to make an honest living in a bad economy," said Joe.
  
  The SPCA doesn't see it that way..." More & video
  
  

More info on the Houston SPCA site

• 
  
• 1,045 Animals Seized from TX Home
• 
  
• By Alice Kalthoff

HOUSTON - SPCA investigators worked one of the largest animal rescue operations in U.S. history out of a small Houston house last night.

When they received an anonymous tip about animals in need of medical care, they were stunned to find hundreds of chickens, ducks, parrots, gerbils, iguanas, turtles, snakes, a pony, a goat, and more.

"Very few of the animals had the basic staples of life -- food, water and shelter," SPCA chief investigator Charles Jantzen told the Houston Chronicle. Some of the animals were dead.

The owners told investigators they were raising the creatures to be sold at flea markets.

The animals were immediately taken into SPCA custody, but there will be a court hearing in ten days to decide who will get final ownership of the animals.

So far, the unidentified owners have not been charged with anything..." Link

Dozens of dogs seized from home

JASPER COUNTY - by Steve Stewart/KJAS - The Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals seized numerous dogs from the residence of the late Homa "Hal" Horace Smith on Tuesday morning. Smith, who died in July, was the father of Eric Smith, the man who killed Martin Lynn Byerly in 2007 and is currently serving a life sentence in prison.

SPCA employee Bob McClintock said he estimates there were 35 to 40 dogs on the property, 17 of which were living inside the house which is located at the corner of County Road's 245 and 244, just north of Jasper. McClintock said he and the other SPCA workers would not be able to capture all of the dogs, but they would try to catch the majority of them.

One by one, SPCA employees carried out dogs that were suffering from mange, malnutrition, and other apparent illnesses. They were loaded onto a special bus and will be carried to Houston where they will receive medical treatment, and will be evaluated for adoption.

A neighbor, Harvey Loupe, said that he could smell the dogs and their waste from his house about 300 yards away.

Hal Smith's widow, Janice Smith, lived in the house alone with the dogs following her husband's death..." More