Lucienne Touboul - Arizona

May 24, 2012:  Wittmann woman in 2010 animal hoarding case arrested; more cats found

by Jane Lednovich 

An 81-year-old Wittmann woman again faces trouble for animal hoarding.

Lucienne Touboul was arrested Wednesday morning on suspicion of 26 counts of animal neglect and cruelty after it was discovered she was hoarding 64 cats, a Maricopa Country Sheriff's Office spokesman said.

The arrest comes nearly two years after authorities found Touboul with more than 104 cats in her home. Most of those cats had to be euthanized as authorities said they carried a feline virus.

Three years before that, a judge had ordered Touboul to give up all but a handful of cats.

This go-around, deputies searched Touboul's home on the 21800 block of Griffin Avenue and found 64 cats, Sgt. Brandon Jones said.

The cats were evaluated by a veterinarian and are being transferred to the Sheriff's Office Animal Safe House in the old First Avenue Jail, police said.

Deputies went to the home about 6 a.m. because Touboul had an outstanding warrant related to the incident two years ago.

In the 2010 case, the cats showed signs of severe respiratory disease, were severely underweight, and had ruptured eyes due to ulcers, Jones said. Nine dead cats were found in freezers. There was evidence that some of the cats were used for human consumption, he said.

Jones said Touboul admitted to police at the time that she would use the dead cats to make soup.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio issued a statement Wednesday saying that during his 50 years in law enforcement, he has never seen or heard anything so bizarre or disgraceful as eating cats.

Touboul in 2010 had told The Republic that she froze the deceased cats until a friend visited to help her properly bury them.

After the 2010 case, the Sheriff's Office notified Code Enforcement, Maricopa County Environmental Services, and Adult Protective Services, but Touboul refused help.

Jones said Touboul fits the profile of an animal hoarder.

Gary Patronek, who founded a research consortium in Boston to study animal hoarders, previously told The Republic that hoarding can be a coping mechanism..."  More & video

July 14, 2010:  Animal Hoarding: Ariz. Woman Found Living With 104 Cat

An 80-year-old Arizona woman has been found living with 104 mostly dead or dying cats.

Maricopa County sheriff's officials say the bodies of 10 cats were found in the freezer and other cats were found diseased or dying inside Lucienne Touboul's home in Wittman, about 30 miles northwest of Phoenix.

Sheriff's spokesman Jeff Sprong says Touboul was taken to a hospital for a medical evaluation because the cats had a disease that can be passed to humans.

He says Touboul also will undergo a mental evaluation and could face charges for felony animal cruelty and threatening to kill deputies if they touched the cats..." More

Deputies Investigate Animal Hoarding Case (video)

Cheri & George Burke - Michigan

May 17, 2012:  Couple with hundreds of dogs gets jail time

A judge has sentenced a southwestern Michigan couple found with hundreds of dogs at their home to 60 days in jail and barred them for owning animals during two years of probation.

Cheri and George Burke received the punishment Thursday. They earlier pleaded guilty to misdemeanor animal cruelty charges in Allegan County District Court.

Records say they also must comply with recommendations from mental health officials and pay $500 each.

They originally were charged with felonies. Authorities said the dogs were being bred.

At least 380 dogs were seized April 9 and people from around the state pitched in to help care for the animals. The dogs were taken from the home in Cheshire Township, about 40 miles south-southwest of Grand Rapids..."  More

April 11, 2012:  Alleged Allegan County dog hoarder also has 97-dog history in Grand Rapids case

GRAND RAPIDS -- An Allegan County woman now facing animal cruelty charges for keeping 352 dogs at her property also had nearly 100 animals at a Grand Rapids address in 2005, Kent County Health Department records show.

Cheri Burke, 64, and her husband, George Burke, 64, were arraigned today in Allegan County District Court after police seized 352 small dogs from their Cheshire Township home earlier this week.

They surrendered the animals -- mostly Shih Tzu and Pomeranian mixes, with a few Maltese and Yorkshire Terriers -- on Tuesday. The fur of most dogs was crusted with feces.

Court records show that Cheri Burke used to live in the 1700 block of Elizabeth NW in Grand Rapids.

In May 2005, Kent County Animal Control officers responded to that home on an animal welfare complaint.

Burke told officers that she had about 75 dogs -- also Shih Tzu and Pomeranian -- and planned to reduce the numbers.

Later the same month, officers returned and Burke told them she only had about 45 dogs.

But when animal control authorities returned in September for a site check, they found 52 dogs and 45 puppies.

She was charged with failure to obtain a kennel license, a misdemeanor, and ultimately fined $392 in Grand Rapids District Court in December 2005.

Bill Anstey, deputy administrative health officer with the Kent County Health Department, said the misdemeanor was the only charge available to authorities because Grand Rapids had no ordinance to restrict animal numbers..."  More

Apr 9, 2012:  Rescue of almost 350 dogs in Allegan County: 'I've never even heard of anything like this'

By Julie Mack

ALLEGAN, MI -- Julie Kowal, office administrator of the Allegan County Animal Shelter, was told late last week her facility would be getting about 60 dogs Monday from a Cheshire Township home.

Over the weekend, that number was revised to 90.

Monday morning, Kowal accompanied animal control officers to a small, two-bedroom house near Grand Junction. After they pulled almost 100 dogs from the house, the homeowner told the officials, "There's a dozen more."

"Then it was 'a dozen more' and 'another dozen more,' " Kowal said. "The dogs just kept coming and coming and coming."

In all, officials took almost 350 dogs from the property, plus 12 cats and two birds, Kowal said.

Kowal said the home was occupied by a couple who were breeding dogs for profit and got in over the heads.

"The animal control people said they had been trying to work with her to lower her numbers," but finally decided they need to take the dogs into custody, Kowal said.

Officials said it was the largest single intake involving the Allegan County Animal Shelter in memory..."  More

Heidi Erickson

note:  scroll to the bottom of this page for links to articles dating from 2009

April 25, 2012: Court appeal by Plymouth's 'cat lady' unsuccessful

Plymouth’s most notorious pet owner, Heidi Erickson, has lost her appeal of a 30-day sentence of home confinement for violating her probation following her conviction for animal cruelty.

The state Supreme Judicial Court on Tuesday issued a ruling in which it upheld a Plymouth District Court judge’s ruling that Erickson, 51, violated the terms of her probation. She was convicted in early 2011 and sentenced to 90 days in jail followed by five years of probation. During the spring of 2009, Plymouth police took 11 Persian cats from her house on Lothrop Street in Plymouth. Police said at least eight of the animals were in poor health..."  More

April 24, 2012:  Heidi Erickson, Plymouth's "Cat Lady", loses appeal

Plymouth’s most notorious pet owner, Heidi Erickson, has lost her appeal of a 30-day sentence of home confinement for violating her probation following her conviction for animal cruelty.

The Supreme Judicial Court issued a ruling Tuesday in which it upheld a Plymouth District Court judge’s ruling that Erickson, 51, violated the terms of probation for animal cruelty. She was convicted in early 2011 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, followed by five years probation. During the spring of 2009, Plymouth police took 11 Persian cats from her house on Lothrop Street. Police said at least eight of the animals were in poor health.

In 2003, police found 60 dead cats in Erickson’s Boston apartment and she was convicted of animal cruelty for the first time.

Erickson moved to Kentucky during the summer of 2010 and police there found five cats and two horses living in squalor in her home. Under the terms of her probation in the Plymouth case, Erickson was barred from having any contact with animals.

Erickson acted as her own lawyer in her appeal of the probation violation finding and the 30-day home confinement sentence..."  More

July 12, 2011: Home confinement for Heidi Erickson

By Rich Harbert

Heidi Erickson will not be traveling back to Kentucky to resume animal husbandry classes in the near future.

By court order, the so-called “Cat Lady” is rarely even allowed out of the house.

A District Court judge has denied Erickson’s request to travel to the Kentucky home where she had been living just prior to her conviction here in December on animal cruelty charges.

Further, the same judge found Erickson in violation of the terms of probation and ordered her to remain confined to her current home in Boston for all but three hours a day for 30 days.

Erickson has been ordered to wear a GPS bracelet to ensure that she only leaves her home in the Fenway section of Boston for doctor’s appointments and food shopping.

Judge Rosemary Minehan’s June 17 order also calls for Erickson to have no contact with any animals and provide verification within 30 days that she does not own horses, dogs, cats or other animals.

A jury convicted Erickson, 50, in December on eight counts of animal cruelty. The charges stemmed from the 2009 seizure of 11 Persian cats from the apartment Erickson rented on Lothrop Street in downtown Plymouth..." More

Mar 25, 2011: Court order takes Heidi Erickson cats

By Rich Harbert

Six Persian cats seized from Heidi Erickson’s apartment nearly two years ago won’t be going back to their abusive owner.

A judge last week issued an order that takes the cats from Erickson and gives them to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA).

The animal welfare group, meanwhile, has given custody of the cats to a more local animal rescue group that has been caring for the cats for nearly two years.

Plymouth police had temporary custody of the cats while Erickson faced trial on animal cruelty charges.

Erickson was convicted on eight counts of cruelty to animal in December. She was sentenced in January to 90 days in jail; she earned released earlier this month. She will remain on probation for five years and cannot have any contact with animals during probation.

District Court Judge Beverly Cannone issued the forfeiture order last week while considering Erickson’s request to modify the conditions of her probation..." More

Jan 14, 2011: Animal right advocates frustrated by Erickson sentence

By Rich Harbert

The animal rights advocate who cared for Heidi Erickson’s malnourished cats blasted judicial officials this week for giving the so-called Cat Lady a light sentence for cruelty to animals.

Linda Brackett, director of the Nemasket Orphaned Animal Haven, said she now will work to make the state’s animal cruelty laws even tougher.

“The sentence shows that animals in this society are not given the respect they need and deserve. They are helpless animals that can’t help themselves,” Brackett said. “I would have liked to see five years, but would have been happy with a 2 1/2-year sentence.”

Erickson was, indeed, sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison Tuesday, but Judge Beverly Cannone suspended the sentence after Erickson serves just 90 days. With time off for her stay at a state hospital, Erickson is expected to serve only about 17 days behind bars.

A District Court jury convicted Erickson of eight counts of cruelty to animals in December. The charges stemmed from the 2009 seizure of 11 Persian cats from her Lothrop Street apartment.

A veterinarian testified at trial that eight of the cats were malnourished and six were in “medically unacceptable” condition. Five of those six cats have since died.

Brackett, who took custody of the cats for police, has since found foster homes for the remaining cats. She expects to permanently place the cats in those homes now that the trial is over..." More

Heidi Erickson trial underway

By Rich Harbert

Jury selection has begun in the animal cruelty trial of former Plymouth resident Heidi Erickson.

The former Lothrop Street resident faces eight counts of cruelty of animals. The charges stem from a March 2009 police investigation of foul odors coming from Erickson’s home.

Police seized 11 cats from the house. Erickson is accused of failing to provide eight of the cats with proper food, water and shelter.

District Court Judge Beverly Cannone dismissed a ninth count of cruelty to animals against Erickson prior to the start of jury selection.

Cannone told prospective jurors that three veterinarians and three police officers are expected to testify in the trial. She said testimony should be finished by Thursday.

Jury selection got off to a slow start however, after all 62 men and women in the jury pool responded that they had been pet owners. That ensured that every member of the pool will be individually screened before the selection of panelists begins.

Nearly half of the jury pool additionally noted that they have donated money to animal rights groups..." More

Mar 27, 2009: Heidi Erickson’s competency to be determined

A local woman accused of abusing nine cats will not get to keep two other felines deemed healthy.

District Court Judge Rosemary Minehan refused Heidi’s Erickson’s request for the return of her two Persians Friday, citing public interest standards.

Police meanwhile said the department will press next week to have Erickson’s dog, a Great Dane, removed from her custody as well.

Erickson, 48, faces nine counts of cruelty to animals. Police seized 11 Persian cats and the dog from her Lothrop Street apartment last week after investigating complaints of a putrid odor.

Police later returned the Great Dane after a veterinarian deemed the dog healthy. Another veterinarian examined the 11 cats and found nine of them in questionable health. Some were malnourished and dehydrated. Others were missing large patches of fur. Others had feces matted into their fur.

One seemed unable to put pressure on its paws. All 11 are being cared for at the local animal shelter. The town has hired Linda Brackett of the Nemasket Orphaned Animal Haven (NOAH) to consult police on caring for the cats. Brackett, an expert on Persian cats, visited the cats after the hearing Friday.

Erickson, through her attorney, unsuccessfully argued that the two healthy cats should be returned to her because they, like the dog, are service animals that help her ease the strain of a disability. She has said the animals help her with posttraumatic stress disorder brought on several years ago by the city of Boston’s removal of dozens of cat from her home. Erickson was dubbed the “cat lady” after the cats were taken from her Beacon Hill apartment. Boston authorities also found several dead cats in her freezer..." More & video

More at: Pet-abuse.com

Heidi Erickson's site: Here

1. Court appeal by Plymouth's 'cat lady' unsuccessful
   Plymouth’s most notorious pet owner, Heidi Erickson, has lost her appeal of a 30-day sentence of home confinement for violating her probation following her conviction for animal cruelty. The state Supreme Judicial Court on Tuesday issued a ruling in which it upheld a Plymouth District Court judge’s ruling that Erickson, 51, violated the terms of her probation.
    
   http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1780492117/Court-appeal-by-Plymouth-s-cat-lady-unsuccessful
   Wed Apr 25 2012 12:11:20 GMT-0700 (PDT)
2. Heidi Erickson, Plymouth's "Cat Lady," loses appeal
   Plymouth’s most notorious pet owner, Heidi Erickson, has lost her appeal of a 30-day sentence of home confinement for violating her probation following her conviction for animal cruelty.
   http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1780490197/Heidi-Erickson-Plymouths-Cat-Lady-loses-appeal
   Tue Apr 24 2012 16:55:15 GMT-0700 (PDT)
3. UPDATED: Home confinement for Heidi Erickson
   Heidi Erickson will not be traveling back to Kentucky to resume animal husbandry classes in the near future.
   By court order, the so-called “Cat Lady” is rarely even allowed out of the house.
   http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x910594493/Home-confinement-for-Heidi-Erickson
   Tue Aug 09 2011 20:30:08 GMT-0700 (PDT)
4. 'Cat Lady' Heidi Erickson sentenced to 90 days in jail
   A judge sentenced Heidi Erickson to 90 days in prison Tuesday for cruelty to animals.
   Erickson, a former Plymouth resident known as the “Cat Lady,” left the courtroom in handcuffs, shackles, a wheelchair and tears, crying that she would be would not survive behind bars.
   “They’re going to kill me. They told me they’re going to kill me in there,” Erickson sobbed as a court officer pushed her from the courtroom.
   http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1062717509/Cat-Lady-Heidi-Erickson-sentenced-to-90-days-in-jail
   Wed Jan 12 2011 15:07:21 GMT-0800 (PST)
5. Plymouth's ‘Cat Lady’ convicted of animal cruelty, faces possible jail time
   The woman called “the Cat Lady” after police found 60 dead cats in her Boston apartment seven years ago has been convicted of animal cruelty for a second time.
   http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x106454062/-Cat-lady-found-guilty
   Fri Dec 17 2010 14:04:38 GMT-0800 (PST)
6. Plymouth woman dubbed "Cat Lady" found guilty of animal cruelty
   A Plymouth District Court jury convicted Heidi Erickson on eight counts of animal cruelty Thursday. Judge Beverly Cannone delayed sentencing but revoked Erickson’s bail pending sentencing. She faces up to 2 1/2 years in prison on each of the eight counts.
   The jury deliberated just slightly more than an hour before returning verdicts on all counts.
   
   A veterinarian who examined cats seized from a Plymouth woman who had been dubbed “the cat lady” said Wednesday that eight of the 10 Persians were
   http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1046515039/Eight-of-10-cats-owned-by-cat-lady-deemed-unhealthy
   Thu Dec 16 2010 20:08:00 GMT-0800 (PST)
7. Animal-cruelty convictions of 'cat lady' upheld
   Plymouth’s attorney says the state Appeals Court decision to uphold animal-cruelty convictions of the so-called “cat lady” may make it easier for Plymouth prosecutors to seize a Great Dane that is in her care.
   http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1194149860/Animal-cruelty-convictions-of-cat-lady-upheld
   Fri May 01 2009 10:56:51 GMT-0700 (PDT)
8. Animal-cruelty convictions of “cat lady” upheld
   Plymouth’s attorney says the state Appeals Court decision to uphold animal-cruelty convictions of the so-called “cat lady” may make it easier for Plymouth prosecutors to seize a Great Dane that is in her care.
   http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1669764809/Animal-cruelty-convictions-of-cat-lady-upheld
   Fri May 01 2009 08:32:23 GMT-0700 (PDT)
9. Appeals court upholds cat lady convictions
   The state Appeals Court has upheld the animal cruelty convictions of the so-called “cat lady” who currently faces similar charges in Plymouth.
   http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x514463840/Appeals-court-upholds-cat-lady-convictions
   Thu Apr 30 2009 15:24:17 GMT-0700 (PDT)
10. ‘Cat lady’ fights to get cats, keep dog
    The Plymouth District Court judge Rosemary Minehan has continued the case until April 15 against Heidi Erickson, who has been charged with nine counts of animal cruelty.
    http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1916562027/-Cat-lady-fights-to-get-cats-keep-dog
    Sat Apr 04 2009 06:00:00 GMT-0700 (PDT)
11. No cats for Plymouth’s ‘cat lady’
    A Plymouth District Court judge has rejected a request by Heidi Erickson to have two of 11 seized cats returned to her. Erickson faces nine counts of animal cruelty after a veterinarian determined that nine of the cats were emaciated and suffering from other ailments.

     http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1239302575/No-cats-for-Plymouth-s-cat-lady
    Sat Mar 28 2009 07:15:00 GMT-0700 (PDT)
12. No cats for “cat lady”
    Plymouth District Court Judge Rosemary Minehan on Friday denied a motion by Heidi Erickson, nicknamed the “cat lady” to return two of 11 cats seized last week from her apartment.
    http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1704458958/No-cats-for-cat-lady
    Fri Mar 27 2009 17:34:29 GMT-0700 (PDT)
13. Plymouth police say ‘cat lady’ is unfit to own pets
    A Housing Court hearing to evict the so-called “cat lady” from her Plymouth apartment has been continued. Police planned to ask a Superior Court judge for permission to seize Erickson’s Great Dane and keep 11 cats seized last week, but that action will wait until a judge rules Friday on Erickson’s motion to have at least two of the cats returned.
    http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1950206790/Plymouth-police-say-cat-lady-is-unfit-to-own-pets
    Thu Mar 26 2009 10:58:04 GMT-0700 (PDT)
14. Plymouth 'cat lady’ arraigned on animal cruelty charges
    Plymouth police charged local woman Heidi Erickson, known as the “cat lady,” with nine counts of cruelty to animals Tuesday.
    http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x730577663/Plymouth-cat-lady-arraigned-on-animal-cruelty-charges
    Wed Mar 25 2009 14:32:32 GMT-0700 (PDT)
15. ‘Cat Lady’pleads innocent to nine counts of animal abuse
    Heidi Erickson, dubbed the “cat lady” after 60 dead cats were found in her Beacon Hill apartment six years ago pleaded innocent to nine counts of animal abuse in Plymouth District Court Tuesday. She will still be allowed to keep pets.
    http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1404199689/-Cat-Lady-pleads-innocent-to-nine-counts-of-animal-abuse
    Tue Mar 24 2009 21:22:31 GMT-0700 (PDT)
16. Police return dog to Plymouth 'cat lady' accused of hoarding animals
    PAWS New England wants a judge to order Heidi Erickson, the woman called the “cat lady” to give up her great Dane. Plymouth police returned the dog to the cat hoarder on Friday night after it was checked by a veterinarian.
    http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x317593538/Animal-welfare-group-joins-fight-against-Plymouth-cat-lady
    Mon Mar 23 2009 12:10:28 GMT-0700 (PDT)
17. Video: 'Cat lady' may face new animal-neglect charges in Plymouth
    Police oficers and the town’s animal control officer went to Heidi Erickson’s Lothrop Street apartment Wednesday and removed eight live cats in various stages of neglect, and a Great Dane, police said. She is expected to face animal neglect charges.
    http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x108133215/Video-Cat-lady-may-face-new-animal-neglect-charges-in-Plymouth
    Thu Mar 19 2009 14:50:44 GMT-0700 (PDT)
18. 'Cat lady' may face new animal-neglect charges in Plymouth
    Police oficers and the town’s animal control officer went to Heidi Erickson’s Lothrop Street apartment Wednesday and removed eight live cats in various stages of neglect, and a Great Dane, police said. She is expected to face animal neglect charges.
    http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1555728953/-Cat-lady-may-face-new-animal-neglect-charges-in-Plymouth
    Thu Mar 19 2009 09:54:31 GMT-0700 (PDT)
19. Dead cats, unsanitary conditions found in 'cat lady’s' apartment
    Police are removing animals from the Lothrop Street home of Heidi Erickson, who was dubbed the “cat lady” after housing inspectors in Boston found 60 dead cats in the freezer of her Beacon Hill apartment six years ago.

    http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x441466971/Dead-cats-unsanitary-conditions-found-in-cat-lady-s-apartment
    Wed Mar 18 2009 17:06:36 GMT-0700 (PDT)