SPCA rescues animals from East Concord home

By: Teresa Nagel

On the morning of April 13, an anonymous phone call reporting animal cruelty led SPCA officers, joined by the local sheriff’s department, to an East Concord residence. Upon arrival, the officers found what they called “deplorable living conditions” for 101 animals living inside the home and attached garage. Among these were 75 chickens, 15 cats, six dogs, two ducks, two geese and one pigeon.

One officer reported that the feces in the home was piled so high that the animals had to tunnel through to get from one place to the next. Although all of the animals were alive, every one of the cats showed visible signs of upper respiratory problems because of their living conditions.

The animals were taken to the local SPCA, where they are currently being held. The owner, an elderly woman, has been given the opportunity to surrender the animals. Should she agree, she may be cleared of all charges..." More

Diane Cowling - Washington

Apr 21, 2011: Diane Cowling, Convicted Animal "House of

Horrors" Hoarder, Found Dead in Jail Cell

By Curtis Cartier

Diane Cowling was only a few weeks away from being sentenced (likely to one year in jail) for hoarding dozens of cats and dogs inside her Granite Falls home, which turned into what police described as a "house of horrors" when 30 of the animals died of starvation. Cowling won't be sentenced anymore. She's dead.

She was found dead in her Snohomish County Jail cell last night.

No reason has yet been given for her death, and an autopsy is being performed.

She was 66 years old and supposedly suffered from mental illness..." More & video from Jan 2011

Jan 24, 2011: 2 arrested in animal cruelty case, 3 more animals found

By Marlee Ginter

GRANITE FALLS, Wash. -- Three animals were found living with the mother and son accused of dozens of cases of animal cruelty.

Police arrested Diane Cowling, 65, and her 36-year-old son, Michael Cowling, on Monday morning and got another surprise -- three more animals were living with the Cowlings at their new apartment. Among them was a puppy no more than 2 months old.

The animals were taken to Pasado's Safe Haven for evaluation. All three appeared to have been well-fed.

But such wasn't the case when investigators searched the Cowlings' foreclosed home over the weekend. Even seasoned investigators were hocked at what they found.

Inside the home strewn with feces and garbage were 31 dead animals -- 28 cats, two dogs and an animal that had been dead so long that investigators could not tell what it was..." More

Jan 22, 2011: 31 pets found dead in Granite Falls horror house

A mother and son are under investigation for animal cruelty after 28 cats and three dogs were found dead Saturday in a foreclosed home strewn with feces and garbage, officials said.

Granite Falls Police Chief Dennis Taylor called the horrific scene "one of the most deplorable situations" he has ever had to deal with in his law enforcement career.

Three emaciated cats were found barely alive inside the squalid home and were taken to a local animal sanctuary.

Police said the 65-year-old previous homeowner had lived in the home with her 36-year-old son, but they had moved out a few weeks or months ago after the home went into foreclosure.

The son told police that they had ran out of money to care for the animals and did not know what to do..." More

Animal hoarding the dark side to pets

Alister Thomson

DR Tania Signal suspects there are a fair few “crazy cat ladies” out there.

The CQUniversity senior lecturer in psychology looks at the link between the deliberate harm of animals and anti-social behaviour and has just released research into animal hoarders.

She presented her research, commissioned by the Department of Biosecurity, at the CQUniversity showcase last week.

While animal hoarding had received attention within psychology, the causes of it were relatively unknown, she said.

She defined hoarders as having a compulsive need to “obtain and control animals, coupled with a failure to recognise their suffering”.

Often this was manifested in a filthy living environment with a powerful stench emanating from numerous cages filled with dogs and cats.

Dr Signal gave the example of a house in Mt Morgan where the authorities found 87 dogs, 100 cats and a couple of goats inside.

However, most hoarders did not start out with the intention of being cruel to animals.

She says it's an under-recognised problem where it's “very hard to get access to the people doing the hoarding”.

She contends that while animal hoarding is viewed as an “animal welfare problem,” the people doing the hoarding are not getting access to the psychological help they need..." More

Phoenix apartment yields 25 cats in squalor

by D.S. Woodfill

Animal welfare workers removed as many as 25 cats including some that were feral from a squalid Phoenix apartment on Saturday.

Arizona Humane Society medical technicians found the animals living in filthy conditions living on top of their own feces, urine and other dead cats inside a unit at Whispering Pines at 36th Street and Thomas Road.

Bretta Nelson, a Humane Society spokeswoman, said the odor was so pungent, she could smell it standing 10 feet from the apartment's entrance..." More

About 140 Neglected Dogs Rescued In East Texas

he hospitalized owner of about 140 starving dogs seized in Northeast Texas could face charges over the neglected animals.

The Marshall News-Messenger reported Wednesday that the animals
have been rescued from property near Jefferson.

Humane Society of Marion County leader Caroline Wedding says some animals were in cages, while others were left to roam the woods. She says the dogs are being treated for flea infestations, skin diseases, infected eyes and starvation.

Officials say the owner, a 64-year-old man whose name has not been released, had been away from the property since last month after being admitted to a hospital in Shreveport, La. Some of his relatives contacted animal rescue authorities, who began seizing the dogs last Friday..." More

Warren Co. woman forfeits more than 100 dogs

WARREN CO., Tenn. – The owner of nearly 125 dogs forfeited her rights to majority of the rescued animals in court on Tuesday.

Of the rescued animals Wilma Jean Jones, 72, forfeited all but four dogs and five birds.

Last week nearly 125 dogs and five birds were found living in deplorable conditions and lacked veterinary care at the woman's Warren County home.

The animals are being cared for by the Animal Rescue Corps and are currently being kept at the state fairgrounds until they are ready to be placed up for adoption.

All of the animals will be spayed or neutered before they will be sent to individual shelters throughout the Mid-State.

At this time, Jones has not been charged with any offenses.." More

50 poodles seized in drug raid

Authorities say more than four dozen poodles that were kept in a filthy single-wide mobile home have been seized after police found the animals during a drug raid in Centerton.

Two men were arrested on marijuana-related charges Thursday, but Benton County sheriff’s deputies told the Northwest Arkansas Times that they opted against an animal neglect charge and instead took away the poodles.

Investigators say the suspects ran a poodle-breeding operation out of the trailer.

Animal control officers said the dogs were sociable, but they had parasites, matted fur and unclipped nails.

One of the 51 dogs was left behind. Authorities say the gravely ill wife of one of the suspects wanted to keep the poodle and be buried with it after she dies..." More