City crews board up rubbish-filled house

JONATHAN ELLIS

A long-running battle between the city and owners of a home in north Sioux Falls about rubbish and hoarding appeared to enter its final stages Monday.

City officials boarded up the home at 1122 N. Duluth Ave. and hauled away dump-truck loads of garbage and junk. The action came about a month after a circuit court judge ordered that the home either be brought up to code or demolished.

The city typically condemns several properties a year, but this case is more unusual because Donna and Royce Snook still were living in the home as of this past weekend. Usually, most condemnations occur on properties that are uninhabited, according to assistant City Attorney R. Shawn Tornow.

About 1 p.m., city crews arrived with dump trucks and a skid loader and began hauling away junk and garbage piled up in the garage and backyard. A strong odor of rotting garbage and musty furniture wafted through the neighborhood. Contractors were on hand to board up windows and doorways, and two police officers stood by to prevent conflict..." More

Year-End Study Names 2009's "Five Best States to be an Animal Abuser"

Animal Legal Defense Fund Releases Annual Report Ranking Animal Cruelty Laws Across the NationFor immediate release

Contact:Lisa Franzetta, Animal Legal Defense Fund

Stephan Otto, Animal Legal Defense Fund

SAN FRANCISCO – Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, and North Dakota are the five best states in the country to be an animal abuser, according to a new report released today by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF). Based on a detailed comparative analysis of more than 3,800 pages of statutes, tracking fourteen distinct categories of provisions, the report recognizes the states where animal law has real teeth, and calls out those like Kentucky – the single worst in the nation again this year for animal protection laws – where animal abusers get off easy. The annual report, the only one of its kind in the nation, ranks all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories for the general comprehensiveness and relative strength of their respective animal protection laws.

Why are these five states in the dog house when it comes to getting tough on animal abuse? The legislative weaknesses seen in the states at the bottom of the animal protection barrel include severely restricted or absent felony animal cruelty provisions, inadequate animal fighting provisions, and lack of restrictions on the future ownership of animals for those convicted of cruelty to animals. Many state laws have improved since ALDF’s last state rankings report was released in 2008; Arkansas, for example, was one of the worst five states last year, but jumped up to 25th overall in the country in 2009 due to a host of statutory improvements. On the other end of the spectrum, this year’s “best five for animals” list remains unchanged from the 2008 list, with California, Illinois, Maine, Michigan and Oregon demonstrating through their laws the strongest commitment to combating animal cruelty; Illinois was the very best of the best for the strength of its laws protecting animals...." More

Cats living in unhealthy habitat

by Kathleen Leinen • Daily News

North Dakota and Richland County officials scrambled recently to deal with allegations of animal abuse in Lidgerwood.

Tiffany Wisnewski claimed Michael Ciesynski had 22 cats and three dogs living in their own filth at his residence. She said the animals were not being cared for properly and were reproducing at a rapid rate.

Wisnewski contacted Dr. Susan Keller, state veterinarian, the Richland County Sheriff’s Office and the Richland-Wilkin Humane Society. She said she was begging anyone to step in and help the animals. “These animals continue to suffer daily and I wonder how many in there have died because of the living conditions,” she said. “These animals are living in their own feces and urine. The last count from Michael was 22 or more (cats). There are no litter boxes, no running water, no heat, no air conditioning and no one to answer their pleas for help.”

If the conditions were as bad as Wisnewski claimed, Keller said it might be the second worst case of neglect she has encountered.

Richland County Deputy Aaron Grenz visited the residence and found Michael Ciesynski at home. Grenz walked through the property and found the animals in good condition, although their living conditions were deplorable. He found the house overrun with junk and garbage, with only small paths available through the house for the animals to walk through..." More