Two Animals Seized, Two More Dead in Kanawha Co. Home

Reporter: Michael Hyland

KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Kanawha County humane officers seized two dogs from a home Thursday where two other animals had died, as the animals had no access to food or water and were living in a home covered in trash and animal waste.

The house is on Georges Drive near St. Albans. The animals’ owner, Shelly Workman, wasn't anywhere to be found.

The two dogs that were seized were so skinny their bones were showing.

As humane officer Jeff Allen walked around the home, it was virtually impossible to take a step without encountering animal waste.

"I was actually very shocked. That's the worst conditions I've ever seen for animals or humans or anybody to be in," says Allen.

Just about everything in the house, including the furniture was destroyed.

"We think the animals were actually eating it for food. That's the only explanation we can come up with," says Allen...." More & video

Crackdown vowed on animal cruelty

By Leila Fujimori

City Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro said he's taking animal cruelty cases "very seriously."

"Our office will be more proactive on animal cruelty cases," he said, adding that he sent a prosecutor to the scene of an alleged Waimanalo puppy mill where more than 150 puppies and dogs were seized.

Dave Becker, manager of the large commercial dog breeding facility at 41-761 Mahailua St., faces multiple charges of animal cruelty, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison, but has not yet been charged, according to the Hawaiian Humane Society.

Becker's lawyer, Victor Bakke, called the Humane Society's seizure Monday as "overzealous."

"They're filthy but these are not household animals," he said, calling them "breeding machines." "They are equivalent to farm animals. They're being housed, fed and bred, and that's basically all that's required."

The Hawaiian Humane Society held a news conference yesterday, allowing news media to photograph and videotape the seized dogs at the Waialae Avenue shelter, including some unwashed animals that reeked of feces and urine.

Some suffering from mange had large bald spots. Other long-haired dogs' fur was caked with fecal matter. Some dogs' fur was so matted, their legs were knitted together and they could not walk..." More

Animal group rescues 77 cats from hoarder

by Matt Campbell

WALKER, Mich. (WZZM) -- Workers at the Humane Society of West Michigan say they have saved more than 70 cats from a home on the other side of the state.

Society employees say it was a case of animal hoarding in West Branch, and that the home's owner called for help.

On Friday, the humane society's staff spent about five hours catching most of the cats.

Workers say this case unique was because the hoarder helped. Many times they deal with resistance because a court orders the removal of the animals.

The humane society says the man was spending $300 a week on food and litter, and he actually kept the cats mostly healthy..." More & video

West Keansburg family charged with 51 counts of animal cruelty

Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals today seized 51 cats from a West Keansburg home and charged owners with 51 counts each of animal cruelty.

Henry R. Deinninger, 61, and his son, Robert Deinninger, 34, of 2 Hudson Street, failed to provide proper sustenance, care and housing for the cats, said SPCA chief Victor "Buddy'' Amato.

The father had been charged with the same complaints in April 2009 when the SPCA removed 34 cats from Deinninger's former home on Bay Avenue in Highlands, Amato said.

The Hazlet home reeked of urine and feces; there were 55 cats in the home and only three litter pans, Amato said. Multiple cats, seized at about 1:15 p.m., were being stored in single cages and cabinets under a sink to keep them from fighting with other cats, he said.

The animals also had deformities such as additional toes and neurological issues as a result of inbreeding, Amato said...." More

Animal Hoarding Beyond 'Cat Ladies'

"...Some animal hoarders think they are doing the humane thing by caring for animals, but it goes far beyond the stereotypical "crazy lady" with five or six cats. A few unspayed and unneutered dogs and cats can quickly mushroom to scores and a hoarder can be overwhelmed.

Randy Frost, co-author of "Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things," calls it a delusional disorder. Animal hoarders "don't have the recognition that this a problem," he told the Fresno Bee. "They let the animals take over the house. They begin to live under the animals' rules. The house gets filthy."

Keeping animals, or humans, in unsanitary conditions smelling of animal urine and feces is not humane and is unhealthy mentally and physically.

It's not a crime until it gets out of control. The mental health community does not consider animal hoarding a mental illness in its psychological disorders handbook, the DSM, and insurance doesn't cover treatment for it, but some researchers think that's wrong.

"There has been a lot of bewilderment even in the mental health community and we continue to feel that this is a work in progress," Jane N. Nathanson, a counselor for animal caregivers and Massachusetts-based expert on hoarders, told WSBT. "There's almost a high, referred to as a caregivers high that one is deriving from this hoard of animals ... since the animals are never truly able to fill that gap in a person's life, there's a sense that, well, maybe more will do it."..." More

Cat lady arrested, sick animals seized

One of Perth's notorious "cat ladies" has been jailed over the non-payment of fines for illegally squatting, along with her mother, on the family's Inglewood property.

Tatyana Dueschen, 60, was arrested last Thursday and a police spokeswoman confirmed she would be incarcerated for an undisclosed time that would correspond to the level of the fines issued.

Ms Dueschen was fined $500 and court costs in June last year after being found guilty of five counts of criminal trespass, according to Senior Constable Naomi Smith.

The charges were separate to charges of breaching the Caravan and Camping Regulation Act brought against her and her elderly mother Ursula by the City of Stirling four months later.

These charges saw both women fined $132,950 each, taking their total bill for all the actions taken against them by the local council, including the removal of rubbish and animals over the past 20 years, to about $500,000..." More

More than 60 animals seized from Arkansas home Continue reading on Examiner.com: More than 60 animals seized from Arkansas home - National Dogs

By: Penny Eims

Sebastian County, Arkansas - On Friday, over 60 dogs, cats, goats and ducks were rescued from what appears to be yet another hoarding situation.

The Sebastian County Sheriff responded to investigate a potential puppy mill at 4705 Bloomer Road in Bloomer - but it was not a puppy mill - instead, it was a home that was over-flowing with animals.

According to deputies, the interior of the home was a deplorable mess. Over 30 dogs, as well as goats, lived in the home's living room area.

Outside of the home were cages, kennel runs and dogs on chains - some of the dogs were dead, chains still attached.

Shockingly, not only were there people living in the residence, but six children. The children were removed to the care of the Department of Humane Services.

These mind-boggling cases of animal hoarding seem to be more and more frequently encountered.

Is it a result of people trying to "rescue" dogs and cats and becoming over-whelmed? Is it mental illness? Is it a combination of both?

Whatever the root problem is, it seems to be growing in frequency..." More