Scott officials remove 24 dogs from kennel

Scott County Animal Control removed two dozen dogs earlier this week from a home near Nickelsville due to the poor conditions they were allegedly found living in.

The dogs are currently in the care of the Scott County Humane Society.

In all, animal control officials said 24 dogs consisting mainly of three breeds — Yorkies, Yorkie-poos and Shih-tzus — were taken on Tuesday following a search of the home.

Animal control was reportedly made aware of the dogs’ poor living conditions and state of neglect through an anonymous tip.

Officials described the living conditions as unkempt, with dirty water and dog runs filled with feces..."  More

'A horrible case of animal hoarding' as dogs suffered in silence: Humane Society

By Colleen Ferreira

Animal hoarding is defined as having more animals than you can handle. Many hoarders don't have the money or means to take care of each animal. "They're good people, they're well meaning but they usually have some type of dementia or mental disability,” Ecker said.

So what happens to these animal hoarders?

Adult protective services will do frequent checkups on them.

The humane society doesn’t take away all the pets away from the homeowner, unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Most animal hoarders are emotionally fragile and very, very attached to their pets. Humane society workers will leave one or two pets with them so they don't feel hopeless..."  More

Danville hoarder dies days after home condemned, dozens of cats taken to shelter

Justin Ward

DANVILLE, Va.—  

Less than two days after dozens of cats are taken from a home in Danville, the owner dies.

Now neighbors say stress caused her to die too soon.

Kiki, a male cat with a broken jaw and cognitive problems at the Danville Animal Medical Center  is the only survivor of what animal control officials call an extreme animal hoarding case.

They took dozens of cats from a home on Sunnyside Drive in Danville and are still finding more coming from holes leading inside the home.

Police condemned the home and took 89-year-old Geneva Grimes to a nursing home where she later died.

Grimes left her home to a woman's family in her will.

She didn't want to show her face on WDBJ7 but says the stress of losing her pets and home could have contributed to her death.

"When you have your little animals taken away, I mean if you don't have any kids, no nothing, no brothers or sisters and you get everything taken away from you it just stresses you out," the woman told WDBJ7..."  More & video

More than a dozen cats taken from Monson home

By Samantha Lavien
MONSON, MA -

Around 20 cats were taken from a Monson home after the MSPCA got a tip about a case of possible animal hoarding.

Officials responded to a complaint at 14 Silva St. on Wednesday.

Officials said they found it was more a case of people trying to take care of feral and stray cats that got out of control than a case of animal hoarding.

"We determined the folks were being forced to move from their home and they had a large number of cats inside and out that needed a place to go," said MSPCA law enforcement officer Christine Allenberg.

The MSPCA received a complaint that there were several cats outside and the owners needed help. Authorities determined the home owners had several cats of their own and were helping to care for several stray and feral cats in the neighborhood.

"The problem you run into is that when people take on the responsibility of feeding strays and feral cats and then they up and move that leaves the animals with no home and no food source," Allenberg said.

Allenberg said the problem is that once you assume responsibility for an animal, you can be held liable for it..."  More & video

Animal hoarding suspect appears in court

By Laura McCallister


INDEPENDENCE, MO  -

A Blue Summit woman accused of hoarding dogs made her first appearance in court Wednesday. 

A judge released 55-year-old Shirley Lafferty on bond as long as she doesn't have contact with any animals or any rescue organizations. 

If she violates these conditions, Lafferty will be remanded back into custody..."  More & video

Number of animals found in possible hoarding case up to 80s

By Betsy Webster

There are new developments in a dog hoarding case that started with a woman's arrest last week in Jackson County. KCTV5 visited the latest group of dogs as the tally rises.

Eight-week-old Johnny is one of at least 65 dogs found in a second location for Shirley Lafferty's unlicensed organization that she called Black Dog Rescue. That brings the total now to almost 90.

Thirty-three of the dogs are now at the Heartland SPCA in Merriam, KS. Included amongst those dogs are puppies as young as 2-weeks-old, still nursing, who were crowded into the home.

"Some rooms had 20 to 25 dogs in them. Other rooms had moms nursing 2-week-old puppies surrounded by five or six other dogs," said Joe Hinkle with Heartland SPCA.

The home near Butler, MO was rigged with plywood gates in an attempt to replicate a shelter. But the conditions – four puppies to a crate and wire crates stacked atop each other – concerned animal welfare advocates who said there were simply too many dogs for one, or even two, people to care for..."  More & video

Woman cited for hoarding 40 cats

BULLHEAD CITY, AZ — Bullhead City animal control officers, with assistance from police, served a search warrant Friday at a home at which a woman was hoarding more than 40 unhealthy cats, according to police spokeswoman Emily Montague.

Animal control was notified of the case after an acquaintance of 74-year-old Helen Flint became concerned for the welfare of Flint and her sick, malnourished cats and their living conditions, Montague said. Flint’s neighbors also complained about Flint’s residence attracting feral cats and an ongoing nuisance of cats.

A noontime search inside her mobile home in the 800 block of Stahlman Drive reportedly revealed over more than cats. The home’s walls and floors were saturated with urine and feces, Montague said..."  More