When “no-kill” animal shelters and rescue groups are filled to capacity, which is almost always, they are left with two options: turn away more animals than they take in or warehouse animals, often in substandard, filthy, and severely crowded conditions, for weeks, months, or even years on end. Most, if not all, of the animals who are turned away from such facilities still face untimely deaths—just not at these facilities.

Instead they are cruelly killed by people who don’t want them, are dumped on roadsides and left to die from starvation or being hit by a car, or spend their short lives homeless, unwanted, and producing more litters of animals for whom no homes exist.

The lucky ones are taken to well-run open-admission animal shelters, where they either find a well-screened, permanent home or are painlessly euthanized in the arms of professionally trained, compassionate people. Here are some of the “no-kill” animal shelter failures that made headlines in recent years for making animals suffer a fate far worse than a kind death.

August 2020/Margate, Florida: Sun-Sentinel.com reported that a dog who had been adopted from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Mastiff Rescue of Florida, Inc., had mauled an elderly woman to death. The dog had reportedly been released to the group by a public facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Miami-Dade Animal Services. According to the report, two weeks after he was adopted, the dog attacked his elderly caretaker. He first attacked her ankle, and when she fell to the ground, “Smokey went for her jugular while her 57-year-old son beat back the dog with anything in reach, including his mother’s wheelchair. It was no use. His 84-year-old mother died Friday in the hallway near the bathroom, according to records released from the Margate Police Department. … While on the ground, she was bitten multiple times in the head and upper body.” The woman, Carolyn Varanese, had reportedly cared for the dog and “allowed Smokey to sleep in bed with her.” Her son “suffered injuries to the left forearm and bicep as well as several facial scratches and a laceration under his right ear” during the attack. The dog was impounded by Broward County authorities.

August 2020/Summerville, South Carolina: ABCNews4.com reported that a dog had been found suffering from dehydration after he was left outside a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Dorchester Paws. The group, which receives public funding, requires that an appointment be made at least two weeks in advance and that a $125 surrender fee per animal be paid before it will accept them from the public.

August 2020/Los Angeles, California: LATimes.com reported that an animal adoption group had filed a lawsuit against a municipal animal sheltering system doing business as Los Angeles Animal Services alleging that it had been turning away lost and homeless animals. The lawsuit contended that the adoption group had been “overburdened and overrun” with homeless animals since two city shelters had closed. Its founder reportedly said, “I cannot cover for the West Valley shelter. We have a limit on how many animals we can have.” For several years, the city’s sheltering system has been implementing increasingly restrictive intake policies in a bid to profess that its facilities are “no-kill.”

August 2020/Seminary, Mississippi: Leader-Call.com reported that authorities had seized “39 malnourished and abandoned dogs” from the residence of a self-professed animal “rescuer.” Officials reportedly described “conditions of the residence [as] ‘heartbreaking,’ as dogs were trapped inside and … some had died. … Sheriff Joe Berlin said Miranda Kittrell is facing her third offense involving neglected animals; she now faces more than 30 misdemeanor charges, he said.” A spokesperson for an animal adoption group that was caring for the dogs reportedly said, “Some of the animals had severe medical and behavioral issues.” According to the report, “In 2017, Kittrell, a founding member of the now-defunct Animal Rescue Team, faced charges of animal neglect and abuse when Jones County Sheriff’s deputies took 40 dogs and nearly 20 horses living in poor conditions from multiple properties. Kittrell was charged with 13 counts of failing to provide substance to the animals. Sources close to this current investigation say those animals were discovered on Kittrell’s property, and children had been there, too.” It was later reported that the residence had “burned down” in a fire suspected to have been caused by arson.

August 2020/Portland, Oregon: KPTV.com reported that authorities had seized more than 100 animals from a self-professed animal “rescue” and boarding facility doing business as Woofin Palooza, LLC, including 52 dogs and 65 cats. According to the report, “Investigators said the dogs and cats were seized from the facility after determining the state and condition of the animals at the site. A forensic veterinary team … also responded to assist with medical triage of the animals. The dogs and cats are now being treated by the Multnomah County Animals Services veterinary team. The animals are considered part of an ongoing investigation. The case has been referred to the district attorney’s office and no further details were released Tuesday. The website for Woofin Palooza states they work to ‘save the pets in high kill shelters that are facing euthanasia due to over crowding and lack of homes.'”

July 2020/Amarillo, Texas: Mix941KMXJ.com reported that “a Facebook post that has now been shared over 750 times (at the time of this writing) … allege[d] mistreatment of animals and a lack of concern regarding safety for the animals and employees” at a public animal shelter doing business as Amarillo Animal Management & Welfare. According to the report, the post included gruesome photos and descriptions, including a “gut-wrenching stor[y] … of a dog who chewed through [his or her] own leg. Another is of a cat who, instead of being humanely euthanized, was left to suffer.” The post, which had apparently been written by a former employee, alleged that the horrendous conditions were created by practices instituted by the facility’s director, who “wants her numbers to look good, as if she has turned things around to be ‘no kill.'” It alleged that, “to keep the numbers looking good on paper, she also has closed open intake to strays found in the community. . . . Word is getting around about this new policy, even though management has never even bothered to make an official announcement to the tax paying public. Therefore, there are now packs of dogs roaming. … There are dozens of animals hit by cars all over town and on the highway, who if lucky, died instantly. Most aren’t so lucky. Most bleed out and suffer the pain of broken bones, crushed organs, knocked out teeth and popped out eyeballs from the impact before they die. I can say this with 100% certainty, because I have seen it firsthand as an officer when an animal has been hit. Now, there are even more animals hit daily due to the sheer number of loose animals roaming due to the policy of no longer picking up strays in the field.” The city reportedly provided a statement that gave excuses for the extreme pain and suffering caused to the animals in the photos shared in the post but did not deny that the facility was refusing to accept lost or homeless animals from residents, who fund the program.

July 2020/Plumstead Township, Pennsylvania: BucksCountyCourierTimes.com reported that authorities had seized “60 animals including chickens and sheep from what officials described as unsafe, unsanitary conditions at a Plumstead farm that billed itself as an animal sanctuary on Craig’s List (sic).” A first responder reportedly said that many of the animals had been found “living in filthy pens where the temperature was more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, with no access to water. Four sheep that were rescued had ‘extremely thick, matted coats’ that had not been shorn in two years, and no access to food or water. … Some areas of the sheeps’ coats were so heavy they were pulling away from the skin, which was red and irritated. One sheep also had a chronic leg issue. … Eight cats and kittens appeared ill and were living in unsanitary conditions. …Workers also found a near-skeletonized dog corpse under a piece of plastic board.” The investigation was apparently ongoing.

July 2020/Jonesville, Louisiana: WGNO.com reported that authorities had apparently seized 37 dogs and five cats from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Catahoula’s Urban Tails (CUT) after they were found starving; in need of medical care; stacked in filthy, cramped cages, and living in their own waste. According to the report, “There was no drainage system in the warehouse so the animal waste often accumulated in the kennels without being properly hosed out. According to witnesses, the warehouse’s air-conditioning unit was not working properly and there was only one window unit for the entire 30 x 80 building, which was not running the day that [Stacey Alleman McKnight, director of Pointe Coupee Parish Animal Services] picked up the animals. The outdoor thermometer that was affixed to the side of the warehouse registered 114 degrees the day that the animals were removed, according to Ms. Alleman. A gray tabby kitten was housed in a birdcage. One volunteer said that the water to the warehouse was routinely cut off due to the failure to pay the water bill. … Ms. Alleman observed that all the animals were in very poor health and were severely malnourished and dehydrated. Two of the puppies tested positive for Parvo and died along with a third a few days after being rescued. Subsequent veterinary exams showed that the dogs were extremely dehydrated, infested with fleas, anemic, suffered from bloody diarrhea, internal parasites (a combination of round, hook, and/or whipworms). Ms. Alleman scored all dogs between 1 – 2 out of 5, and the vet who examined the animals concurred with those scores. All the adult dogs tested positive for heartworm disease and only one of the adult dogs had been fixed. According to Ms. Alleman, four of the five kittens were emaciated and two kittens had severe eye discharge. This horrendous lack of basic care occurred even though [veterinarian and CUT Director Kelly Hudspeth’s] veterinary office is within walking distance of the warehouse where the animals were housed.” Alleman reportedly said, “In my 20 years in the rescue community and as the director of two animal shelters, I have rarely seen such a complete disregard for life and an overall lack of care on every level.” An investigation was ongoing.

July 2020/Los Angeles, California: LosAngeles.CBSLocal.com reported that “California Attorney General Xavier Becerra Wednesday filed suit against a Los Angeles-based animal rescue and adoption agency for allegedly misleading donors and improperly soliciting donations. The suit names Little Love Rescue and Brittany Littleton—the agency’s founder and director—alleging that the nonprofit sought donations without being registered with the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts and misrepresented the condition of rescued animals in order to solicit donations through online platforms. The suit alleges that Littleton misrepresented the condition of a dog named Luna, claiming that the animal needed spinal surgery when [she] did not. The suit also alleges that Littleton misled donors by falsely claiming that Little Love Rescue was tax exempt.” Becerra reportedly said in a statement, “Unfortunately, charity rip-offs abound.”

July 2020/Cliffside Park, New Jersey: NJ.com reported that a visitor to a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Bergen County Protect and Rescue Foundation had filed a lawsuit against the company “claiming she suffered serious injuries when she was attacked by a dog that handlers should have known was vicious.” According to the report, the victim said she was attacked by a pit bull at the facility and “claims she suffered permanent injuries in the attack, is under the care of a doctor and is taking prescribed medications.” The facility’s founder, Vincent Ascolese, was reportedly “a former animal control officer in Bloomfield” who had been “charged in 2015 with animal cruelty after the death of a deer whose throat was allegedly slashed, according to a published report on NorthJersey.com. Acolese later pleaded guilty to disorderly person charges, according to the report.” The facility reportedly “closed its Cliffside Park location in October 2019.” The plaintiff was “seeking unspecified monetary damages, along with interest and costs of the lawsuit.”

July 2020/Hamilton Township, New Jersey: Trentonian.com reported that “[a]t least two women” had been attacked by a pit bull called Lucky who was up for adoption at the Hamilton Township Animal Shelter. According to the report, the facility had “moved toward what is commonly referred to as a no-kill animal shelter model, which may partly explain why Hamilton Township still attempted to place Lucky up for adoption in May despite his documented history of bad behavior.” According to attorney Stan R. Gregory, who was representing one of the women in a tort claim against the township, the dog had been confined at the facility “since September 2019. … In April, somebody said, ‘This dog isn’t friendly.’ And in May, my client comes in and gets bitten by this dog, suffering a severe injury. Severe.” According to an incident report, Gregory’s client and her husband visited the public facility in May “for a meet and greet with Lucky. ‘Before the dog approached the couple,’ the report states, ‘they were advised to go slow with Lucky, so they let the dog approach them.’ The report appears to corroborate all of the facts from the tort claims notice.” When the plaintiff petted Lucky, he reportedly “‘bit and vigorously shook’ the victim’s arm, according to the report. . . . The wound [the plaintiff] suffered could be described as a ‘high level 4 bite’ on the Dunbar Bite Scale,” according to a professional dog trainer consulted in the case. The attack caused “so much damage that a plastic surgeon had to be called to the hospital to repair the wounds,” the tort claim notice states. Documents obtained by the outlet reportedly described another incident in which a woman had “suffered a ‘puncture, bruising and inflammation'” from being attacked by Lucky three months earlier, in February. Lucky had reportedly since been euthanized.

July 2020/Salem, Ohio: WFMJ.com reported that authorities had seized more than 200 animals from a self-professed “no-kill” animal “sanctuary” doing business as Alchemy Acres Animal Sanctuary after they were found hoarded in conditions described by prosecuting attorney DanaMarie Pannella as “absolutely horrific.” Pannella said that many animals required medical attention. “‘The scope and the volume that need veterinary care is extremely overwhelming,’ she said. ‘Conditions ranging from skin conditions to flea infestations to emaciation.'” Three animals had died since they were seized. According to the report, “Pannella also filed a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General’s office regarding the owner’s for profit operation, Whispering Pines Castle LLC. Stephen Sacco who operates Alchemy Acres, is also the statutory agent and incorporator of Whispering Pines Castle LLC, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s website.

Pannella says donors to that operation have complained to the humane society in the past. She wants the state to look into the finances of both the LLC and the non-profit Alchemy Acres.” The hundreds of dogs, cats, rabbits, and other animals who were seized were receiving care. WFMJ.com further reported that no charges had yet “been filed and humane agents are still investigating who is responsible for the care of these animals. A hearing will be scheduled to determine the custody of the animals.” SalemNews.net later reported, “The four members of the Sacco family who serve on Alchemy Acres Animal Sanctuary board have pleaded no contest to neglect charges after 197 animals in bad shape were seized from an animal shelter they operated in Perry Township. After entering no contest pleas to a single count of animal neglect, county Municipal Court Judge Tim McNicol found Stephen, Julie, Emily and Katie Sacco guilty during Friday’s hearing. The Saccos were sentenced to three months in the county jail, but their sentences suspended and were placed on probation for five years and each ordered to pay a $750 fine. As part of the plea deal, the Saccos were required to relinquish ownership of the seized animals but will be allowed to keep their personal pets. As part of their probation, the Saccos are prohibited from owning, operating or being associated with an animal rescue or animal related organization or business. They also agree any law enforcement officer or humane agent can inspect any non-residential property or buildings they own or control to confirm no animals are being kept there. … As part of the agreement, the humane society agreed not pursue charges against anyone else on the board of Alchemy Acres or the volunteers involved in the organization.”

July 2020/Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada: CBC.ca reported that a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Furbaby Rescues Society had “come under fire from former customers who say they thought they were adopting fully-vetted dogs from [open-admission animal shelters] in California—only to end up with sick dogs from Mexico. Furbaby Rescues owner Krystle Jores charges as much as [CA]$1,100 for a vaccinated and fixed puppy …. Ashley Kipping of Squamish says she spent [CA]$3,900 to keep her dog Kihei alive, after [the dog] started hemorrhaging from a tick-borne illness endemic to Mexico. . . . Lorrie Carlson of Victoria shelled out [CA]$1,600 in vet fees when her newly-adopted dog Lily came down with a mystery illness. . . . They were among eight former customers who spoke with CBC News about their experience with ailing dogs adopted from Jores.” Veterinarian Jefferson Manens reportedly expressed concerns about diseases that may stem from the importation of dogs from Mexico and suggested that people adopt local dogs who need homes. “There’s a large population of dogs that need to be adopted in B.C. and in Canada,” he said. A lack of regulations was cited as a problem by a local animal advocate. “It is the Wild West,” she said, adding that there are “no standards that organizations must meet in order to do this work.”

July 2020/Santa Ynez, California: SantaMariaTimes.com reported that a business called Hollon’s Hounds, which also owns a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Milton’s Mutts, had been approved to house dogs at a property that included “an existing horse barn, a pole barn and two stables, where the dogs will be housed.” An appeal had reportedly been “filed by Elizabeth Gullo, founder and executive director of the nonprofit C.A.R.E.4Paws … who said the appeal was based on her experiences while living on the site. Gullo said she saw dogs left unsupervised and going without food and water, with feces and urine not cleaned up, dogs being adopted out without first being altered and dogs going without veterinary care. She said the facility had operated without licenses and permits and Animal Services officers had responded to complaints about the operation eight times between July 2017 and April 2020, which she said seemed excessive. During public comment, veterinary technician Angela Adan, who also had lived at the site, repeated many of Gullo’s claims.”

June 2020/Airdrie, Alberta, Canada: CBC.ca reported that former volunteers and foster caregivers for a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as EJ Rescue Canada were alleging that the group hadn’t given adequate care to animals on transport trucks and in its custody, had hoarded dogs, and had falsified information on documents when importing animals from the U.S. According to the report, “The ex-volunteers say they struggled to find enough fosters and adopters. They say they also struggled to keep up with feeding, providing bathroom breaks and play time, and cleaning up after the sometimes dozens of dogs that ended up staying at the daycare/rescue facility. . . . Some of the ex-volunteers’ top concerns revolve around the dogs’ transportation into Canada, both in terms of transit conditions and falsified information in documents provided to border officials.” In 2019, while transporting a planned 32 dogs from an adoption group in Arizona, an additional 11 dogs were allegedly “packed” into a van, leaving inadequate space for air to circulate. A former volunteer reportedly said that “[o]ne older terrier, who had been tucked up in a corner, died before they even reached the border.” In May 2020, GlobalNews.ca reported that two people and 14 dogs had died when a “cube van” transporting dogs from Arizona to EJ Rescue Canada careened off the road in Idaho. (See the May 2020/Shelley, Idaho, entry below for more details.) CBC.ca reportedly interviewed an individual or family that had adopted a dog from the group “who says they were left with a hefty vet bill because they say they were never told about pre-existing conditions. Others say they were told a dog was younger than [he or she] really was, which allowed EJ to collect a higher fee. . . . Other fosters told CBC News that they couldn’t contact EJ or convince staff that their dog needed medical attention—whether it be for trouble walking, diarrhea or a wound suffered in a fight.” Volunteers reportedly said that large dogs were kept in cramped crates and that the group imports more animals than it can adequately care for. Six former volunteers reportedly said that “many people have complained to the SPCA about EJ Rescue—including them after they left—but say nothing changes …. They say the SPCA sometimes notified [owner Trina] Demeria before they came to inspect; other times, [former volunteer Twyla] Johnson and another staff member say they would have to stall the SPCA and to give Demeria and the volunteers enough time to clean up, hide dogs, or move them into foster homes.”

June 2020/Austin, Texas: FOX7Austin.com reported that a public “no-kill” facility doing business as Austin Animal Center was “accepting very few healthy stray animals” and residents were “being encouraged to leave the animals on the street in the hope they’ll wander home, or take them in themselves.” The policy started as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic but reportedly could be made permanent. According to the report, “An internal memo from late April shared with FOX 7 Austin shows Austin Animal Center chief Don Bland outlining plans for the shelter’s future. Those plans include turning away strays, and only taking in sick and injured animals and those with serious behavioral problems.” A concerned volunteer at the facility reportedly explained, “Animals are gonna be left on the street, people are not gonna have the ability to get these animals to a safe place [and] the community is going to be left doing the job that Austin Animal Center is paid to do.” Program manager Mark Sloatz reportedly said that the facility was “looking for ways to keep intake down.” FOX7Austin.com later reported that local residents were “calling out the Austin Animal Center after a video posted online showed someone trying to surrender a stray dog and being turned away. In the video posted on Facebook Thursday, a staff member can be heard telling the person with the stray dog, ‘If you can’t keep her, and no one on your Nextdoor or Austin Lost and Found Pets can hold onto her, you probably should just let her go where you found her.’ . . . In another part of the now-viral video, the same staff member said, ‘There’s no need for her to be in a kennel without receiving proper care here.'” (The full video can be viewed here.)

June 2020/La Grande, Oregon: LaGrandeObserver.com reported that authorities were investigating the former director of a self-professed “high-save” facility doing business as Blue Mountain Humane Association, who may have “embezzled funds and committed other criminal acts.” Local authorities had reportedly “partnered with the FBI to look into rumors and accusations against John Brinlee, including for embezzlement and false advertising.” Current board members allegedly believed Brinlee could have stolen up to $250,000. The group had reportedly held a contract with Union County to provide sheltering services on and off since at least 2011. At a county meeting in 2016, residents reportedly “voiced frustrations with the shelter. Some community members were upset the shelter would not take sick animals, and others shared their personal experiences, one of which involved the director getting upset with a customer and staff. Jodi Lambert, who manages the Eastern Oregon Pet Lovers Facebook page, shared the story from a message she received: ‘BMHA told them to let the cat go because they couldn’t take [the animal], couldn’t afford the vet fee, and they would put [the cat] down anyway,’ Lambert said, according to meeting minutes.” The cat reportedly had a broken leg, and what became of him or her wasn’t reported.

May 2020/Great Falls, Montana: GreatFallsTribune.com reported that authorities had seized 172 animals from inhumane and dangerous conditions at a self-professed “no-kill” animal “sanctuary” doing business as Hooves Paws and Claws, Inc., “following a structure fire on [the owner’s] property on May 6.” Owner/operator Pamela Jo Polejewski had reportedly “been charged with one count of aggravated animal cruelty, a felony, and four counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals.” An unknown number of animals had reportedly died in the fire. KRTV.com reported that the surviving animals taken into custody included 52 dogs, 29 chickens, 21 waterfowl, 19 cats, 14 goats, 12 rabbits, 11 horses, six pigs, three turkeys, two parakeets, a tortoise, a ferret, a cockatiel, and a fish. Charging documents reportedly alleged that authorities had found “many dogs … in multiple makeshift kennels throughout the property [that] were not suitable for the dogs to live in” as well as “a cage full of kittens, multiple small fenced areas with dogs, more dogs running loose on the property, and goats running loose on the property. The cage full of kittens appeared to have so many kittens they barely had any room to move around. The floor of the cage was not visible due to the number of kittens present.” A veterinarian on scene reportedly found “a mini-horse on the property whose feet had not been cared for and were so long that they had curled, causing deformities to the horse. The veterinarian also found inside one of the trailers a deceased bloated dog with a necrotic mouth. … The veterinarian stated that the trailer confinement was cruel to the animals as there was no food or water, the animals were confined with the dead dog and an over-abundance of fecal matter, and they were unable to escape the trailer. An adult dog was removed from the trailer that had a severely disfigured face due to an infection; the veterinarian elected to immediately euthanize the dog to end [his or her] suffering. … Many of the cats/kittens were suffering from eye infections that if left untreated can result in the loss of the eye(s).” The report revealed that “records indicate that the organization was involuntarily dissolved by the Secretary of State in December 2018” and that “Polejewski has been charged with felony aggravated animal cruelty, and four misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals. … She faced similar charges in Great Falls back in 2006.” GreatFallsTribune.com reported that 176 animals had been seized in the recent case. KRTV.com reported, “This is at least the third time Polejewski has faced similar charges in a courtroom.”

May 2020/Shelley, Idaho: EastIdahoNews.com reported that 14 dogs had been killed and 16 remained missing after a vehicle transporting them from Arizona to Canada crashed, also killing the driver and passenger. According to the report, “Eighteen surviving animals were found and are being cared for by local veterinarians and the Blackfoot Animal Shelter.” AZCentral.com reported that the founder of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Who Saved Who Rescue in Arizona and her boyfriend were killed in the crash. No other vehicles were reportedly involved. The group reportedly removed animals from the public animal shelter in Maricopa County.

May 2020/Texarkana, Arkansas: WAVY.com reported that the public animal shelter in Texarkana had been turning away residents who tried to surrender animals for whom they couldn’t—or wouldn’t—care. The turn-away policy was changed after authorities discovered “five puppies, deliberately drowned at a local park.” A plastic crate was also found at the park. The city’s animal control director reportedly said that the animals had likely been drowned one by one in the crate: “We believe they placed the puppy in it, closed the lid, and then held the crate under water until they [believed] the puppies were drowned, and then drug it back out and then removed the body, and then would go on to the next one.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects had yet been identified.

May 2020/Elliott County, Kentucky: LEX18.com reported that authorities had seized more than 100 animals from a self-professed “no-kill” animal “sanctuary” doing business as The Trixie Foundation after they were found “living in poor conditions and receiving improper care.” The animals reportedly included 104 dogs and four cats. According to the report, owner/operator “Randy Skaggs is cited with 12 counts of improperly disposing of dead animals. Police say more charges are pending the results of veterinarian records.” According to a first responder, “There was a dog … they had to call the vet for immediately. She had to be euthanized. She was lifeless but still breathing.” Many of the animals reportedly had “visible health problems, including severe eye infections and large tumors on their mouths and bodies.” (See the March 2018/Elliott County, Kentucky, entry below for information about previous criminal charges against Skaggs.)

April 2020/Tulpehocken Township, Pennsylvania: ReadingEagle.com reported that authorities had seized three horses from a self-professed animal “sanctuary” doing business as Eden Farm Equine Sanctuary, Inc., “due to neglect.” An affidavit reportedly “listed in graphic detail the problems one emaciated horse, Dahlia, was suffering. According to a statement provided by Dr. Christina Vittoria of Willow Creek Veterinary Center, Dahlia was about 100 pounds underweight during an exam at Eden Farm on March 17.” A volunteer at the “sanctuary” had reportedly contacted authorities, “concerned that three elderly horses were suffering, and 14 cats and seven dogs (six in the home and one in the barn) at Eden Farm were malnourished and not well kept.” He reportedly said that “there [wa]s an overpowering ammonia smell coming from the home due to what [owner Gayle] Cooper had described as having fourteen (14) cats and six (6) dogs inside the home, this ammonia has caused the floorboards in the home to rot/wilt from being damp for so long.” The investigation was ongoing.

March 2020/Hamilton Township, Pennsylvania: WNEP.com reported that 10 cats had died in a fire at a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Camp Papillon Animal Shelter. The animals had apparently been confined to a building. The cause of the fire was reportedly not known. No additional details were available.

March 2020/Woodstock, Virginia: NVDaily.com reported that Erica Stinson, the owner of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as River’s Edge Senior Sanctuary and Rescue, had been “charged with two felony counts of torture of an animal resulting in death, two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals and one misdemeanor of inadequate care for animals.” An investigator reportedly said in an affidavit “that she responded to the [Stinson’s] residence on Feb. 27 for a welfare check with Adult Protective Services. [The investigator] states she made contact with Stinson who operates River’s Edge Senior Sanctuary and Rescue. ‘The (residence) where the animals were housed was covered in feces with a strong smell of urine,’ [the investigator] states.” Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Amanda Strecky reportedly said she wanted the court to move forward with a civil seizure request to seize additional animals from Stinson, “given the condition and age of the remaining animals. ‘These animals are very elderly and they need a lot of care and the bills are already extensive to the Sheriff’s Office,’ Strecky said.” She reportedly also said that a “large number” of additional charges were expected to be filed against Stinson as well as against one or more co-defendants. According to the report, “Stinson voluntarily surrendered a total of 35 animals to the Sheriff’s Office …. However, three more animals were not signed over … and an additional five to seven animals remain at Stinson’s residence, Strecky said.” An affidavit filed in the case reportedly said, “During the search warrant, [the investigator] observed animals to be living in bad conditions as well as several animals needing immediate medical care.” An earlier report revealed that two dogs and a cat had been found in such bad shape that they had to be euthanized.

March 2020/Oswego, Illinois: KendallCountyNow.com reported that authorities had arrested Michaelene A. Majestic, “the founder, chief executive officer and chief operating officer” of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Just Giants Rescue, Inc. Majestic was reportedly “arrested on four counts of felony theft for the alleged misuse of the rescue’s funds.” If convicted, she could reportedly face up to five years in prison. The court case was ongoing.

March 2020/Port Washington, New York: LongIsland.News12.com reported that former employees of a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as North Shore Animal League America “say they were directed by their superiors to hide the biting history of animals and use euphemisms instead—phrases like ‘resource guarding’—which means a dog protects … food or possessions.” According to the report, about a month after adopting a dog named Ringo, the adopter was attacked by him: “He just lunged and started shaking my arm … All my flesh was pulled back, I was bleeding profusely all over the street,” the adopter said. The dog was later euthanized. “In the paperwork [the adopter] says she received from North Shore, Ringo was described as a playful, puppy-like dog. But documents given to News 12 by former North Shore Animal League employees paint a different picture. … They show that Ringo bit workers or volunteers at the shelter three times, sending one to the hospital about seven months before he was adopted.” The adopter said she wasn’t told about any of those attacks. The report went on: “Records from the whistleblowers show a German shepherd mix named Kobe bit multiple people, including an 81-year-old woman who needed 30 stitches. Despite this, the dog was adopted or fostered several times. There was no mention of any previous attacks in the paperwork that News 12’s whistleblowers say were given to clients.” Nobody from the facility would talk to reporters.

March 2020/Pocatello, Idaho: IdahoStateJournal.com reported that cases of animal abandonment had “skyrocketed,” according to a local animal adoption group. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said, “We have been scraping neglected animals off the pavement this year, literally in some cases. One problem is that all of the shelters and fosters in our entire surrounding area are full. It’s so bad that we are getting a ton of calls from other rural communities outside of Bannock County looking to surrender animals.” One dog, who was found lying on the side of a road, was suffering from “both demodectic and sarcoptic mites with secondary infections of his mangy skin, and had significant wounds to the top of his head and torso.” According to a foster caregiver, “[E]very time he moved his skin would crack and bleed everywhere.” He was reportedly receiving treatment.

February 2020/Des Moines, Iowa: KCCI.com reported that the owner of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Unbreakabull Bullies “who was arrested last year for having 17 dogs in a home has been arrested again …. Tina Petraline is facing charges for animal neglect, theft and harassment.” Authorities reportedly said that she had “provided someone with puppies that were coughing and covered with fleas. One of those puppies died. Another dog in her possession allegedly had to be put down for lung cancer and heartworms. Officers said Petraline had not cared for the dogs.” (See the November 2019/Des Moines, Iowa, entry below for more information.)

February 2020/Henderson, Louisiana: KATC.com reported that an individual had “witnessed a small white single cab truck briefly stop on the bridge and toss a bag into the water.” He then reportedly retrieved it from the water, “and inside the bag were eight live newborn black lab mix puppies.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. The puppies were taken to an animal adoption group and were apparently expected to survive. At the time of the report, the St. Martin Parish Animal Services Shelter stated on its website that the facility accepted surrendered animals by appointment only and charged $50 per animal.

February 2020/Charlotte, Tennessee: WKRN.com reported that authorities had seized 16 horses and 32 dogs from a self-professed animal “rescue” after they were found in distress and in conditions described as “deplorable.” Dogs were found inside two sheds on the property, and an eyewitness reportedly “described the conditions as cramped, with little food and water. ‘The smell of urine … You already know it’s bad before you walk in,'” the witness said. One of the horses was in such bad shape that he or she had to be euthanized. An investigation was apparently ongoing.

February 2020/Pompano Beach, Florida: Local10.com reported that city officials had filed a lawsuit against a self-professed “non-profit animal shelter” doing business as Cats and Brats to stop the group from housing more than 60 cats at a residential property. The property was reportedly within the city limits, where the law prohibits residents from harboring more than four animals at a residence. A court date was reportedly scheduled for sometime in April.

February 2020/Union County, Florida: WCJB.com reported that authorities had seized approximately 70 animals from a self-professed animal “rescue” after they were found in “grossly unsanitary conditions.” According to the report, “Several dogs were caged in unkempt rooms filled with everything from dirty laundry hampers to instant pot cookers. … The investigation crosses state lines with some of the animals belonging to Dragon Paws Rescue which operates in Florida, Georgia, and Virginia. The organization’s license was suspended and animal cruelty charges have been pursued.” TheLedger.com reported that a “search warrant of the property revealed animals suffering from multiple untreated medical conditions, severe signs of neglect and unsanitary conditions, investigators said. Deputies found unclean wire cages, stacked upon one another and animals living in their own feces. For some animals, the untreated medical conditions led to infection and loss of limbs,” according to a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office. 11Alive.com reported that one of the dogs seized had been released to Dragon Paws Rescue, Inc., by a county animal shelter in Georgia after he’d been hit by a car in July 2019 and was found suffering from “bi-lateral femur fractures, a fractured pelvis and rib, and a ruptured bladder,” according to a first responder at the raid in Florida. Dragon Paws reportedly posted an online fundraiser to provide him with veterinary care, but when he was found at the Florida property in March 2020, he had chewed tissue off his leg after he was evidently denied medical attention. The Florida property owner, who was reportedly acting as a “foster” for Dragon Paws, told authorities that the family had “duct taped [the leg] to his body” because “they didn’t know what to do.” After the dog was removed from the property, his leg was amputated and another fundraiser was reportedly undertaken to pay for the surgery. A spokesperson for a group that assisted in the raid said, “There were dogs that had fundraisers specifically for spay and neuter that when taken off property had not been spayed or neutered …. Forget the fact that we have [dogs needing medical attention] there. The basics were not taken care of.” Every dog found was reportedly malnourished and infested with fleas and hookworms, according to first responders. A criminal investigation was ongoing.

February 2020/Berkeley, South Carolina: Live5News.com reported that a “South Carolina leader is now taking a Tri-County nonprofit to court after a Live 5 investigation showed it was soliciting donations despite being suspended by the Secretary of State.” The state had reportedly “issued a legal warning to Suzanne Melton, the CEO, for failing to turn in forms for 2016, 2017 and 2018. The Secretary of State also does not have a current registration statement for the nonprofit. According to Doug Renew, the Secretary of State’s Chief Investigator, Suzie’s Zoo Sanctuary for Special Needs Kitties owes the state $6,000 in outstanding fines.” According to the report, the “sanctuary” is Melton’s backyard, where 88 cats had been confined to pens and sheds.

February 2020/Ulster, New York: DailyFreeman.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” animal facility doing business as Ulster County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had been warehousing some animals for years. A cat who had been warehoused there for six years reportedly had a medical condition that required a “10-minute infusion of liquids” three times a week and was extremely “shy.” A pit bull who had been at the facility for three years was described as “fearful of new things, including toys and kitchen appliances.” A worker said the dog was so terrified at one time that “he jumped up in the air with all four paws off the ground.” Visitors were reportedly either not allowed or able to touch him when he exited the kennel where he was kept because of his explosive excitement. Another pit bull had been warehoused at the facility for four years. The report said that “she has special needs. There are places on her body where she just does not like being touched.” Visitors were also either not allowed or able to touch her when she was allowed out of the kennel to which she was confined.

February 2020/Boynton Beach, Florida: WPBF.com reported that two dogs who had been adopted from a public animal shelter with “life at any cost” policies doing business as Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control had been found dead “in crates inside a dumpster.” Sun-Sentinel.com reported that the suspect, Devonna Hinds, had “adopted Paris, a 6-year-old white miniature poodle, on Aug. 10, 2018, and six months later adopted Karma, a 3-year-old white/brindle pit bull, according to the arrest report. Both dogs had satisfactory health and weight when they were adopted, the report says. Hinds kept the dogs outside in plastic crates and deprived them of food and water, the report says. A necropsy revealed that under Hinds’ custody, Paris lost 5% of her body weight and Karma lost 20% of her body weight by the time they died. Karma was bony and emaciated, with sores on her body and legs, extremely long toenails, and her coat was dirty, dry and sparse, the document says. She was also infested with hookworms. Paris … had little body fat and protruding ribs, according to the report. She had overgrown nails, dirty ears, dental tartar and her coat was dirty and matted. Neither dog had food in their digestive tracts, the report says. The veterinarian concluded that the dogs’ poor physical condition suggests they were ‘neglected over a long period of time and deprived of basic life-sustaining needs, specifically food, water and medical care,’ the report says. The dogs ultimately died while Hinds said she was gone on vacation on Nov. 21, 2019. The temperature that day was 81 degrees, and it would have been hotter inside the plastic crates, the report says. The vet concluded in the necropsy that because the dogs were deprived of food and water and exposed to the elements outside, they died of dehydration and heat exposure.” According to the report, “Hinds adopted a new dog the day after she found hers dead. When she went to Animal Care and Control to pick up her new dog, Boynton Beach Police officers were waiting.” She reportedly “told officers that she remembered feeding both dogs in their crates outside in the backyard, and when she returned both dogs were dead in their crates. … She put the crates with the dogs’ bodies in the trunk of her car and hauled them to Boynton Beach, where she saw a dumpster across the street from the high school and decided to throw the crates there ‘without a second thought,'” according to the arrest report.

February 2020/Houston, Texas: HoustonPress.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” animal “rescue” doing business as Mr. K’s Halfwayhouse for Hounds & Kitties Too Pet Shelter had “been picking up dogs from municipal shelters in and around Houston and sending them to a Connecticut shelter with a history of animal cruelty. According to one source close to the operation, the Texas dogs transported along this route number in the hundreds. Connecticut authorities say the nonprofit rescue, Mr. K’s Halfway House for Hounds and Kitties Too, doesn’t have a license to bring animals into the state, but that hasn’t stopped Mr. K’s from transporting animals over the past 18 months. The animals are delivered to the SPCA of Connecticut, run out of a foreclosed home that is set for court-ordered auction in March. The home doubled as the residence of former director Fred Acker, who was convicted on multiple counts of animal cruelty in 2014 and 2016, and sentenced to one year in jail. However, he disappeared while out on bond pending appeal, and is now a fugitive.” (See the September 2016/Milford, Connecticut, entry below for more details.) According to the report, “When told that an animal rescue in Houston was sending animals to the SPCA of Connecticut, [animal control officer] Umstead opined, ‘I wouldn’t send a flea down to that place …. This is what blows my mind, is that you’ve got all these rescues in the south, that think, ‘Oh, everybody in New England is great, and we’re going to ship all these truckloads of dogs up there,’ and they have no clue who they’re sending [them] to.’ … Almost from the beginning, Garrett and Mr. K’s Spokesperson Rocky Fiore greeted questions about dogs’ destinations with hostility.” Despite repeated efforts to obtain interviews and records, the investigative reporter was unable to obtain clear answers to many questions, including where dogs released to the “rescue” ended up, how they were removed from county facilities that had reportedly ended agreements with the group, and how they were imported into other states without the required licenses. His report concludes: “As always, the rescue could use donations. Just don’t ask them, or the Harris County Animal Shelter, where the animals are going.”

February 2020/Cambridge, Ohio: Daily-Jeff.com reported that a resident who was operating a self-professed animal “rescue” at her home had been charged with cruelty to animals after authorities seized 48 dogs from conditions described as “deplorable” at the property. Three children were also removed from the home, which was reportedly condemned by the health department. According to the report: “Authorities also located multiple cats, pigs, turkeys and chickens along with a cow and goat on the property. Several dead animals were reportedly found lying on the ground behind a chicken coop.” The “rescue” operator was unable to tell authorities how many dogs were confined at the property. Inside the residence, “authorities observed numerous dogs and puppies living in crates and cages that contained feces and urine. Dogs of various sizes were located in cages stacked in the children’s bedrooms and living room where crates were three high in places. … [O]ne medium size crate contained three adult dogs. … Paperwork for the rescue operation was not in proper order, according to authorities. … The dogs and crates were removed from the residence and transported to the dog shelter in an enclosed trailer. Five ‘very sick’ puppies were reportedly taken to a local veterinarian where they later died.”

February 2020/Washtenaw County, Michigan: MLive.com reported, “Facing multiple felony animal cruelty charges for failing to care for 71 animals in their home, Augusta Township Supervisor Brian Shelby and his wife have both pleaded guilty to lower misdemeanor charges. Brian Shelby, 65, pleaded guilty, Feb. 3, to seven misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty toward two to three animals, while his wife, Tammy Shelby, 58, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty toward two to three animals, court records show.” The charges were reportedly the result of a 2018 investigation that resulted in the “seizure and surrender of 37 cats, nine dogs, 13 chickens, 10 exotic birds and two peacocks from the Shelbys’ home after investigators … determined the animals were living in unsanitary conditions, records show. Investigators found excessive feces, urine, and debris littering the yard and inside the home. Many of the dogs and cats were locked in filthy plastic kennels, forced to step and lie in their own waste, investigators said. Most of the house did not have electricity or ventilation, and there was little food on the premises, investigators said. The exotic birds, including five cockatoos, two macaws, two conures and an Amazon parrot, were closed up in a room without light or ventilation, they said. ‘Mr. Shelby claimed he was helping homeless animals. This case highlights a common problem whereby people claiming to be rescuing animals are more akin to hoarders, causing direct and serious harm,’ Humane Society of Huron Valley CEO Tanya Hilgendorf said in a written statement. ‘Good intentions don’t justify or excuse animal cruelty. A good reminder to the public to do your homework before working with any animal group. No rational and caring person would have walked through this home and willingly left an animal here,’ Hilgendorf said.” A sentencing hearing was scheduled.

February 2020/East Milton, Florida: PNJ.com reported that because a public turn-away facility doing business as Santa Rosa County Animal Services didn’t have space for approximately 60 sick and neglected dogs, “it will take four or five trips and several months before all of the dogs can be removed” from the terrible conditions in which they were hoarded. The owner of the dogs had reportedly agreed to surrender them to authorities. According to a county spokesperson, “none [of the dogs] had received veterinary care or socialization and all of them had varying degrees of mange.” The report described some of the terrified animals who were reportedly expected to be held by the county for “six to eight months”: “One dog, a yellow Lab mix named Milk, recoils at human touch and sticks her nose in the corner of the kennel whenever a human tries to enter to pet her. Another dog, … Pretty Boy, cowers in the corner and won’t let humans come near him.” The dogs’ owner was not facing charges.

February 2020/Galesburg, Illinois: Galesburg.com reported that a woman who abandoned a cat in a travel carrier in a garbage receptacle at an apartment complex told police that she’d tried to surrender the cat to a self-professed “no-kill” shelter doing business as Knox County Humane Society but that it wouldn’t accept the animal. According to the report, “A resident of the complex told police they had seen a woman walking toward the garbage area with the cat in the carrier, then soon after returning without it. The cat carrier belonged to a local veterinary office and, upon speaking with the vet’s office, police confirmed that the woman had been loaned the carrier when having a cat spayed in December. The woman told police she had been having issues with the cat, which she got her son for Christmas. She said her son had no interest in the cat and the people she got the cat from refused to take her back. She claimed that the Humane Society would not take the cat, and when she tried to just let the cat go, a neighbor returned [her]. According to the police report, she grew angry at the cat and ‘put her hands on the cat.’ She told police that the last straw was when the cat destroyed the last roll of toilet paper. She admitted to then putting the cat in the carrier and placing [her] in the garbage, because she did not want to risk anyone bringing the cat back to her. The woman was arrested for animal cruelty and was given a notice to appear at the Knox County jail.” After she was found in the garbage, the cat was apparently taken in by the same facility that had turned her away. A spokesperson reportedly said that the animal “was very scared when first brought to the shelter. She would hide in a corner and cry unless held.”

February 2020/Austin, Texas: KXAN.com reported that it had received new images of alleged filthy and inhumane conditions in which puppies suffering from the painful and highly contagious parvovirus were kept at a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Austin Pets Alive! According to the report: “A current staff member at the shelter, who asked to be kept anonymous, shared the images, saying animal waste piles up and that puppies are often caged in their own filth ‘without adequate food and water.’ … ‘Everybody who works there feels the same way, and they all know. Just nobody ever does anything about it,’ the staff member said. ‘I tell my managers and still they never do anything about it. All the veterinarians know but nothing ever gets done about it.'” A spokesperson for the group reportedly “confirmed the images were from the shelter” and “couldn’t say with certainty how many puppies are currently being held in the parvo ward.” The outlet reported that it had “requested a formal interview with Dr. Ellen Jefferson, executive director of Austin Pets Alive! as well as the parvo ward manager. KXAN has also formally requested a copy of the parvo ward cleanliness protocols” but had apparently not been provided with the requested interviews or documents.

February 2020/Millville, New Jersey: 6ABC.com reported that a person driving along a road had noticed a wire crate. The individual apparently stopped and found that it contained a dead pit bull. Authorities were called and reportedly “found a brindle pit bull mix, around six to nine months old. The dog was wearing a small sweater, and had [a] collar, leash and two pieces of fabric that investigators believe was used for bedding. ‘People have put their animals in cages, tied them to trees dumped them in the woods, dumped them in areas and normally they end up dying from starvation,’ said Kathleen Leary, South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter Director of Operations. Leary said animal abandonment occurs frequently throughout Cumberland County …. A necropsy revealed the cause of death was human neglect.” According to its website, the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter requires those who want or need to surrender an animal to make an appointment, be placed on a waiting list, and pay a fee of up to $200 per animal. Apparently, it may also only accept dogs who have been deemed adoptable by the facility.

February 2020/Troy Township, Ohio: Cleveland19.com reported that two puppies had died and an adult dog was badly burned in a fire that destroyed a barn “that was used as a dog kennel” at a foster home for a self-professed animal “foster group” doing business as Geauga Mama Dogs and Pups, Inc. According to the report, “Geauga Mama Dogs and Pups said one of the dogs started to deliver in the driveway by the barn as it burned. She was taken into a home where she gave birth to 10 puppies.” Another dog was badly burned and was reportedly “now at a veterinarian hospital in need of medical care ‘for a long while,'” according to the group.

January 2020/Fresno, California: YourCentralValley.com reported that a “local no-kill rescue group” had turned away nine cats who were suffering from scabies infestations (mange). The cats’ owner evidently told authorities that she could not care for the animals and had contacted local “no-kill” groups but they’d been “unwilling to take the cats in a timely fashion due to a lack of space and/or their medical conditions.” An open-admission animal shelter doing business as Central California SPCA accepted the animals and provided them with needed care, including medical treatment for the painful, highly contagious condition.

January 2020/Louisville, Kentucky: WHAS11.com reported that a dog had been found tied to a fence at a public turn-away facility doing business as Louisville Metro Animal Services. He was reportedly “unresponsive, facing hypothermia from the cold, and severely dehydrated. He also weighed up to 20 pounds less than what he should.” He was receiving treatment. Surveillance footage showed a man tying the dog to a fence and leaving him with a blanket, food and water, and a chew toy before driving away. At the time of the report, the facility’s website stated, “Louisville Metro Animal Services is not accepting owner-surrendered, large breed dogs. LMAS may be able to accept small, owner-surrendered pets by appointment only. LMAS does not accept other owned animals. … Owners who surrender a dog will be charged a $45 impoundment fee. For owners who surrender a cat, there will be a $35 impoundment fee. There may be additional medical costs depending upon your animal’s veterinary records.”

January 2020/Ionia County, Michigan: WZZM13.com reported that two dogs who had been adopted from a self-professed “no-kill” animal “sanctuary” doing business as Mackenzie’s Animal Sanctuary had been returned, apparently after years of neglect. According to the report, “Tic Tac was malnourished and needed several infected teeth removed. Komino had to have emergency surgery on his remaining eye, which was close to rupturing.” The report included a Facebook post in which the group described the dogs’ condition: “Komino is shut down, cries nonstop, has been in great pain for who knows how long due to his remaining eye, which we removed recently along with infected teeth. … Tic Tac just wants closeness and will look into your eyes and whine, she cries in her sleep, she had many infected teeth pulled so she’s pretty swollen now.” The group was reportedly “trying to raise money for their medical expenses.”

January 2020/Dalton, Georgia: TimesFreePress.com reported that a dog had been warehoused at a self-professed “no-kill” shelter doing business as the Humane Society of Northwest Georgia for more than 10 years. She was described by a volunteer at the facility as “a bit territorial,” reportedly “gets jealous,” and has “been known to growl and bite.” The dog had evidently been adopted and returned more than once. The volunteer reportedly said that “she’s not entirely sure how [the dog] would adjust to being in a home with other animals. ‘Nobody’s adopted her long enough for us to see.'” The facility where the dog had been confined for the last decade was described as a “3,000-square-foot shelter [that] had dark sheds that held overcrowded kennels, outdated cages, and outdoor areas that became muddy.”

January 2020/St. Augustine, Florida: ActionNewsJAX.com reported that 21 animals had died in a fire at a property where they were hoarded by a couple who were reportedly “fostering five cats and rescued 15 of their own. Two of their dogs were also inside.” According to the report, after the fire and a successful online fundraising scheme, one of the owners “is coming up with a plan for their new house that will allow her to foster and rescue more cats and dogs.”

January 2020/Newark, Delaware: NewarkPostOnline.com reported that a pit bull who was being fostered for an unnamed self-professed animal “rescue” in Pennsylvania had pushed his or her way through a front door and attacked a small dog who was being walked on a leash by his or her guardian. According to the report, the smaller dog “suffered serious injuries and had to be taken to an animal hospital for emergency surgery, but … is expected to survive.” The property owner, whose daughter was fostering the pit bull, “was charged with keeping a vicious animal and allowing a dog to run at large.” The pit bull was reportedly returned to the group in Pennsylvania. No additional information was available.

January 2020/Langley, British Columbia, Canada: AldergroveStar.com reported that authorities had seized 20 animals—nine dogs, five birds, three cats, two rabbits, and a pig—from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as 1ataTime Rescue Society. According to the report, “Marcie Moriarty, chief prevention and enforcement officer for the BC SPCA, reported all of the animals removed met the definition of ‘distress’ under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. ‘There were concerns in the complaint about dogs being crated for long periods of time, and with one exception, the dogs were crated without access to water when our officers arrived,’ Moriarty commented. … It wasn’t the first time the SPCA has raided the house. In 2016, the agency took 88 animals, 45 dogs, 18 cats, and 24 farm animals including goats, chickens, ducks, and a turtle. In 2012, the SPCA seized 52 dogs and 19 cats from [“rescue” owner Sandra] Simans’ Burnaby residence.” (See the September 2016/Langley, British Columbia, Canada, entry below for more details.) Workers reportedly wore hazmat suits to remove the animals. BC.CTVNews.ca reported that “Moriarty said it was ‘extremely frustrating’ that the SPCA was once again dealing with the same individual. ‘[Simans] was ordered to pay the BC SPCA costs of care, [to] the tune of [CA]$81,000. We haven’t seen a cent of that,’ Moriarty told CTV News. … ‘We will absolutely be recommending charges and we can hopefully see a situation where she does get a ban on owning animals in the future,’ said Moriarty.”

January 2020/Thawville, Illinois: FOXIllinois.com reported that Corinne DiLorenzo, the founder of a self-professed animal “sanctuary” doing business as Earth Animal Sanctuary, was “facing a Class 4 felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty.” The charge came after “[h]undreds of animal carcasses were discovered in a shallow grave at the former sanctuary” the previous summer. According to two individuals who knew DiLorenzo, “there have been more than 600 animals [who] died while in DiLorenzo’s care with the possibility of more unaccounted animals.” FordCountyRecord.com reported: “Melissa Pena, a former board member for the Earth Animal Sanctuary, and two others visited the property, discovering ‘nothing short of a horror story,’ Pena said on the sanctuary’s Facebook page. ‘There was an oblong-shaped ditch filled with bag upon bag upon bag of the remains of dead animals,’ Pena said in the Facebook post. ‘There were the remains of pigs that had been dragged out on a tarp or blanket and dumped in the hole. We saw skulls and bones of large pigs, medium-sized pigs, goats of various ages, cats, dogs, birds/waterfowl and rabbits. There were small bags inside of larger garbage bags as well as bags that contained multiple species of animals. We saw various states of decomposition. There were layers of animals, and after about an hour of ripping through bags with my hands, I couldn’t do anymore.'” According to the report: “Following a suspicious fire at the property in September 2018—in which eight pigs, six ducks, six geese and 20 chickens perished—the Iroquois County Sheriff’s Office began investigating complaints about the welfare of the hundreds of animals that had been rescued and brought to the property, investigative reports show. … While visiting the property, investigators found unsanitary conditions in DiLorenzo’s home, where multiple animals were being kept, and ordered her to clean up and make various repairs to her home in order for her son to be able to return and live there. They also issued her a ‘humane care’ citation after finding two malnourished pigs with ‘skin issues’ believed to be caused by straw mites in an outbuilding.” ChicagoTribune.com reported, “One of the public agencies that had associated with EARTH Animal Sanctuary was DuPage County Animal Services, which had placed more than 70 animals there since 2014, in part because the sanctuary accepted barn animals, said Laura Flamion, operations manager for the agency. … ‘I don’t think we had been alerted to anything concerning,’ she said.”

January 2020/Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh.CBSLocal.com reported that state authorities had launched an investigation into a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Four Paws Elkhound Rescue after adopters reported that “they adopted puppies from [the group who] were underfed, sick, covered in feces and hours away from death.” One adopted puppy “quickly deteriorated and had discharge in his eyes and nose. … [He] died the same day he was brought home.” He and six other puppies had reportedly been imported from animal shelters in Texas. According to the report, “Just two weeks after the litter arrived in Pittsburgh, only one of the seven puppies [was] still alive. KDKA confirmed the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture launched an investigation following our call and their conversations with the impacted families. KDKA also learned humane agents out of Westmoreland County opened an investigation and are looking into search warrants.” Another adopted puppy from the litter “wound up at the vet just one hour after meeting her new family. ‘And they told us the dog was in critical condition,'” said the adopter. That puppy died just days later. The surviving puppy reportedly “tested positive for Giardia, causing malnutrition and digestive issues. He also tested positive for canine herpes, a virus nicknamed ‘fading puppy syndrome.’ Lastly, he tested positive for Bordetella, a bacteria associated with upper respiratory infections.” He was expected to survive.

January 2020/Ellisville, Mississippi: HattiesburgAmerican.com reported that “more than 70 animals found neglected” at a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Safe and Warm Animal Rescue Mission had been removed. A spokesperson for an adoption group that took in the animals reportedly said, “Some of them were emaciated, malnourished, dehydrated … and out of the 22 we pulled (Jan. 1), 19 of those had some form of malnourishment. After medically assessing the dogs, we didn’t see any reason for them to be underweight other than they weren’t fed.” The “rescue” had allegedly shut down. WDAM.com reported that the adoption group spokesperson said, “They’re dehydrated. Some of them had some wounds from … dog attacks. One of them had a gunshot wound that had healed incorrectly, and he needed some antibiotics and he may need surgery.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities had been alerted or if charges would be pursued.

January 2020/Volusia County, Florida: News-JournalOnline.com reported that authorities had seized nine cats and seven dogs from a self-professed animal “sanctuary” doing business as Journey’s End Animal Sanctuary. According to the report, “records show that multiple employees and volunteers over the past several months have contacted the county with concerns about living conditions that resulted from too many animals, more than 100 at least, and not enough staff. Officials arrived at Journey’s End about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday to look for animals that Rachel Barton, the lead shelter veterinarian with Tallahassee Animal Services, recommended be taken into immediate custody, Kevin Captain, a spokesman for Volusia County, said. … After visiting the facility in August, Barton wrote in a forensic veterinary statement that the sanctuary had ‘dangerously exceeded its capacity for care, resulting in undue animal pain and suffering. Staffing is inadequate to meet the basic needs of the animals each day, let alone their advanced medical needs,’ Barton wrote.” A spokesperson for the county reportedly said, “What we found during our investigation is that medications were often expired, improperly dispensed and inadequate.” The county issued an order in July requiring the facility to provide animals with adequate care and reduce the number of animals at the property. The order also reportedly “noted issues with housing conditions for dogs and cats, a lack of routine veterinary inspections, health conditions not being fully managed, and a lack of appropriate vaccinations and licensing.” (See the August 2019/Volusia County, Florida, entry below.) According to the report, Barton “wrote that the situation at Journey’s End is a classic example of rescue and exploitation hoarding. ‘There is broad neglect of their personal health and hygiene, animal health and hygiene, accumulation of clutter and debris and general decay and disrepair of the household,’ Barton wrote. ‘Rescue hoarders often claim they are being persecuted and will typically reject assistance from outside groups.'” The county attorney’s office planned to “file a petition for a hearing on the custody of the animals [who] were removed.” News-JournalOnline.com further reported that county authorities “said the cats were infested with fleas and ear mites and have numerous infections, and the paralyzed animals had infected pressure sores and urinary tract infections” and had “posted several dozen pages of records” and disturbing photos “in an effort to show the community why it felt it was time to take action.”

January 2020/Phoenix, Arizona: ABC15.com reported that authorities had determined that a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Woofs, Wiggles n Wags was operating “in violation of the city’s zoning and code ordinances.” According to the report, “[i]n October, ABC15 uncovered questionable conditions inside the rescue, which operates out of home near 52nd Street and Cactus Road. Photos surfaced online showing underfed dogs, dogs cramped in cages, blood and rat feces on the floor.” (See the October 2019/Phoenix, Arizona, entry below.) Reportedly, “[t]hrough a public records request, ABC15 received documentation showing numerous complaints filed by residents against the home. Documents state in November, an inspector visited the owner, Melanie Murphy, and told her by boarding and selling animals there, she was in violation of the city’s zoning and code ordinances.” Murphy was reportedly appealing a notice of violation.

January 2020/Jacksonville, Florida: Jacksonville.com reported that 18 cats, a hamster, and a sugar glider had died in a fire at a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Dreidel’s House Cat Rescue. One cat was reportedly missing, and 16 animals survived at the single-family home where they had been hoarded. Responding firefighters reportedly fought “flames and pull[ed] animals out of the smoke filled interior of the house. The ones that showed any signs of life were treated with oxygen,” according to the “rescue” owner. It was suspected that the fire started in the home’s kitchen.

January 2020/Morrisville Borough, Pennsylvania: LevittownNow.com reported that authorities had found 24 homeless cats hoarded in an unheated car by a man who said he “had been trying to keep them out of the elements.” It was believed that the animals had been found abandoned at an apartment complex. A spokesperson for a local animal adoption group reportedly “said she is aware there are cat colonies in the area … and it’s not uncommon for people to leave their felines behind when they move from nearby apartments.” The animals were surrendered to authorities and were “being treated for various ailments, including fleas, dehydration, and being underweight.”

December 2019/Austin, Texas: KVUE.com reported that an Austin-area nonprofit group had removed 58 dogs from the property of an unnamed self-professed animal “rescue,” where they had been found in conditions “described as ‘horrific.'” A spokesperson for the group reportedly said, “The ammonia from urine and three inches of feces and debris littered the house and stung our eyes. We found dogs were living in closets with rats crawling on them and they were defecating all over the house.” She said that despite the horrific conditions and the “rescuer’s” failing health, he kept acquiring dogs “because he feared the local animal shelter would kill them.” The dogs who were removed were reportedly “transported to multiple shelters not just in Texas, but across the country—to states like Michigan, Tennessee and Ohio.”

December 2019/Guilderland, New York: AltamontEnterprise.com reported that Marcia and Charles Scott, the owners and operators of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Happy Cat Rescue Inc., had each been “charged with six counts of ‘Torture/Injure/Failure to Feed an Animal.'” A spokesperson for the local humane society reportedly said that it had received a complaint from someone who adopted a cat from the “rescue.” According to a woman who claimed to be a friend of the adopter, no adoption paperwork had been given to the adopter and “[t]he cat was losing weight and wouldn’t eat.” The animal “tested positive for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) and also had bartonella, which can be transmitted to humans, as well as stomatitis.” She said, “The cat had to be euthanized.” A former volunteer reportedly said that cats were kept stacked in cages in a garage: “The cats were always in the garage in cages. … They had cats that were unadoptable with no exercise. … She was adopting out cats that were pregnant, sick, and feral.” An investigation carried out by the humane society and local police officers revealed that approximately 52 cats were hoarded “between the garage and the house” at the “rescue.” “It was overcrowded and not great ventilation. It got to be too many cats,” a humane society spokesperson said. According to the report, “The arrest report filed by the Guilderland Police says six cats were not provided ‘medical attention’ and that 32 cats were not provided ‘proper ventilation.'” Charles Scott reportedly said of two of the animals, “Pinto … has eye issues. And Frankie, a male, has ‘dental issues that we missed …. He was drooling and we didn’t catch it right away.” The Scotts had reportedly made a deal in which they agreed to “permanently cease all operations as a rescue organization and … not ‘possess, reside with, or own any animals’ with the exception of five designated cats [who] are to be returned to them.” In exchange, “if the Scotts for the next six months do not violate the agreement, the charges will be dropped. However, the agreement is to remain in effect for the rest of their lives.”

December 2019/Williamstown, Vermont: WCAX.com reported that a city “public health officer has stepped down after town officials failed to support his efforts to tighten oversight of dog rescue operations.” The dispute was reportedly caused by a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Heidi’s Haven Rescue, Inc., which had relocated to the town after it “was run out of Ferrisburgh last year after concerns from local zoning and health officials.” (See the March 2018/Ferrisburgh, Vermont, entry below for details.) The health officer who resigned, Don Angolano, said that “[m]ost of the dogs are kept in plastic crates or metal kennels that don’t meet statutory regulations” and that he’d “fielded complaints from community members and presented evidence of subpar conditions after working with veterinarians and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.” He said, “There have been vets up there that have checked out all of the dogs and have voiced some concerns …. There were dogs there that had open wounds and sores on them.” The town council reportedly rejected a proposed ordinance that “would have given the town the ability to regulate the operation to ensure that the dogs are well cared for.” He said, “This would have just brought her numbers down. This would have required her to have more oversight from the animal control officer and myself or a designated health officer.” The owner of the “rescue,” Sheila McGregor, reportedly declined to comment.

December 2019/Raytown, Missouri: FOX4KC.com reported that a cat had been left outside a turn-away facility doing business as Midwest Animal ResQ. Surveillance footage showed a man leaving the animal outside in a carrier. The cat was later found “visibly terrified,” and an implanted microchip helped identify the man. According to the report, the “man’s family had contacted Midwest Animal ResQ on Saturday, complaining that [the cat] had been fighting with their other cat.” The group’s website states, “We receive [hundreds] of requests weekly for pet surrenders, and our currently [sic] response time is between 3–4 weeks. From there we will set up a meeting with you and your pet, to make sure we can safely find a great home for your pet, lastly we will set up a date for your pet to be relinquished to our program.” The man had reportedly “been turned into [sic] Raytown Animal Control officers” and could be fined.

December 2019/Ashtabula, Ohio: KSHB.com reported that a dog who had been adopted after he had been warehoused for 602 days at an animal adoption group doing business as Ashtabula County Animal Protective League had been returned. The report said the adoption had failed and that “[d]ue to his extended time in a shelter, [the dog] does not do well with other animals. The shelter previously thought he would do well in a home with no male dogs or children, but have learned now that he doesn’t do well with any other animals or children.” No additional details were available.

December 2019/Phoenix, Arizona: APNews.com reported that two self-professed “no-kill” adoption groups doing business as Helping Animals Live On (HALO) Animal Rescue and Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA had “started shipping animals in from rural Arizona, other states and Mexico.” The groups were reportedly in conflict with the government-funded facility doing business as Maricopa County Animal Care and Control (MCACC) over the shipment of thousands of adoptable dogs from MCACC to facilities in other states. The report said, “The seemingly unnecessary shuffling of animals across state lines has left the animal welfare community at odds. … Heather Allen, president and CEO of HALO Animal Rescue, said the transport program is not the option that’s best for pets, potential owners or taxpayers.” A spokesperson for MCACC reportedly told the outlet that “shipments of animals leav[e] the state on planes and in vans almost weekly” and end up at facilities “in New Mexico, Utah, Idaho and Washington state.”

December 2019/Warren Township, New Jersey: MyCentralJersey.com reported that Toni Turco, the owner of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Home for Good Dog Rescue Inc., had been “charged with 15 counts of fourth-degree falsifying records for the purpose of deceiving prospective pet owners, two counts of fourth-degree knowingly selling and/or exposing to human contact a pet with a contagious or infectious disease, and a single count of third-degree coercion by threatening to harm an employee’s reputation or livelihood, authorities said.” Employee Richard Errico was “charged with a single count of fourth-degree false advertising for the purpose of deceiving prospective pet owners.” The charges were reportedly “the result of a long-term joint investigation of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs and the Special Prosecutions Unit of the Prosecutor’s Office.” The group, which claims to import dogs for adoption from animal shelters “in the South,” was allegedly found to have “been removing negative information from some of their dogs’ intake forms before putting them up for adoption. The investigation found the shelter did that more than a dozen times.” DailyVoice.com reported that “[i]f convicted, Errico faces up to 18 months in prison, while Turco may face three to five years in prison if found guilty on the third-degree charges.”

December 2019/St. Augustine, Florida: ActionNewsJax.com reported that 11 cats and birds had died in a fire at a self-professed “no-kill” animal “sanctuary” doing business as Ayla’s Acres No-Kill Animal Rescue. A cat who was found badly burned was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he died. It was suspected that the fire had been started by a space heater. The report said that the “sanctuary” had been “destroyed” and that “about 140 unadoptable animals” had survived and “need a home.”

December 2019/O’Fallon, Illinois: KMOV.com reported that two cats had died in a fire at a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Randy’s Rescue Ranch. CBS58.com reported that owner Randy Grim said that when firefighters opened the door of a burning building that housed “disabled animals” on the property, “three dogs in wheelchairs came running out.” Firefighters “rescued two paralyzed dogs that were inside, but two senior cats did not make it.” According to the report, “Officials said the fire started with an exterior light that was spewing sparks.”

December 2019/Lincoln, Nebraska: 1011Now.com reported that Kandice Bremer, the former owner of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as All Hounds on Deck, had been cited for violating a court order that prohibited her from having custody of more than eight animals. Authorities reportedly executed a search warrant at her property, where they found 16 dogs and cats, including “six dogs and two cats she was not authorized to have.” The court order that Bremer had violated was apparently made when she was charged with cruelty to animals in September. (See the September 2019/Lincoln, Nebraska, entry below for details.)

December 2019/Brownwood, Texas: BigCountryHomepage.com reported that the incoming president of a nonprofit—which is partly funded with public money—doing business as the Corinne T. Smith Animal Center had fired three employees and described conditions at the facility as “unacceptable.” Debra Dixon filed a complaint with the police department and reportedly said that animals were found “[s]itting in feces and urine. Sitting on cement floors in cages and many of them don’t even have a bottom. It’s just wired. They’re on sheets.” Former director Carren Bowden had reportedly “been the director for four years—looking toward a goal of [being] a no-kill shelter.” She said, “You’re damned if you … euthanize, so what are you supposed to do with all the overflow of animals that [come] in. And, that’s something people don’t understand—people out in the public.” Dixon said an “overwhelming foul odor, with feces and urine everywhere” was the norm at the facility. She explained that “the dogs were never taken out to relieve themselves or taken for walks.” She said, “It’s cruel to force an animal from one crate into another. You don’t know which ones are [housetrained]. It’s painful for the animals if they’re housebroken.” The facility was reportedly in the process of hiring a new director.

December 2019/Jackson County, Illinois: KFVS12.com reported that three kittens were missing after a transport vehicle carrying 45 animals that was owned by a self-professed “no-kill” animal “rescue” group doing business as Wright-Way Rescue had been involved in a serious accident. According to the report, “The transport vehicle was cut apart during the crash and all of the crates holding the animals were destroyed in the crash.” DailyHerald.com reported that a puppy and a kitten were killed in the accident. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said that “[t]he animals were being taken from [the group’s] Murphysboro facility in southern Illinois to its shelter in Morton Grove.” NBCChicago.com reported that a dog injured in the crash “spent four days in the emergency room for injuries including a broken leg and lung contusions.”

December 2019/Watervliet, New York: WNYT.com reported that authorities had seized 12 kittens from Samantha Valentine, a former foster caregiver for a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Kitten Angels. Valentine was reportedly facing charges, including forgery and animal abuse, after “she posed as a worker for … Kitten Angels, and used fake documents to sell kittens.” According to the report, “Police say Valentine was actually trying to start her own adoption business and sold at least two kittens [who] were ill and then died.” One of the kittens died within hours of being adopted, and another died a day after adoption. TimesUnion.com reported that two dogs had also been seized from Valentine and that she had been charged “with felony possession of a forged instrument and forgery as well as misdemeanor scheme to defraud, injuring/not feeding an animal and sale of a [diseased] animal.” She was arraigned and released on probation.

December 2019/Manistee, Michigan: 9And10News.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” facility—which is apparently contracted to provide Manistee County with sheltering services—doing business as Homeward Bound Animal Shelter was full and “[couldn’t] take in anymore dogs or cats until the ones they have [were] adopted.” No additional details were available.

December 2019/Elyria, Ohio: MorningJournal.com reported that “[a]n Illinois woman ha[d] filed a lawsuit against the Lorain County commissioners and the Lorain County Dog Kennel alleging her daughter, who is a minor, was ‘viciously’ attacked by a dog up for adoption.” The dog had reportedly “been surrendered on two prior occasions due to ‘vicious, antisocial and aggressive behavior,'” information that the family says was not shared with them when they were placed in a closed room with the animal. The pit bull mix “latched onto” her daughter’s head, resulting “in multiple lacerations to the girl’s scalp and right ear, requiring 24 staples and several sutures, the suit says.” The dog was reportedly “recommended for adoption for a family with a two-year-old child.” The mother was “seeking compensatory and punitive damages in excess of $25,000.”

December 2019/Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: CBC.ca reported that a dog adopted from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Penny’s All-Breed Animal Rescue Inc. had attacked the adopter “just weeks” later. Describing the attack, she said, “I petted him, and then all of a sudden … he started to bare his teeth and growled ferociously, and then before I knew it he was leaping up toward my jugular. … The battle ensued. I pushed into his mouth, and this arm is fairly well chewed up. … One of the bites actually went into one of my bones … I collapsed.” She reportedly “suffered a severe bite to her left forearm, which fractured one of the bones. She has cuts and scratches on her chest and other arm. She’s since had surgery and needed a metal plate and screws put into her arm, which she will have the rest of her life.” The dog had reportedly been imported into the country from South Korea and had “never ever shown any signs of aggression,” according to the “rescue’s” owner. He was quarantined after the attack, and authorities were investigating.

December 2019/Lakeway, Texas: KXAN.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” group doing business as Austin Pets Alive! had adopted out a pit bull who was allegedly known to be aggressive toward smaller dogs to Patricia Stanford, who is “tied to multiple [dog] attacks of people—and other dogs.” According to the report, “Erica Curtis and her bulldog were badly injured after being bitten by Stanford’s two dogs. The animals are tied to attacks on other dogs and injuries to humans—in addition to the dogs simply running around unleashed.” Curtis filed a lawsuit against Stanford, and the two dogs involved were “banned in the city of Lakeway through a court order that required Stanford to house them with a relative in Midland, Texas. . . . According to Lakeway PD documents, one of Stanford’s dogs was found roaming miles from her home back on September 6. The Austin Animal Center took the dog in, but later returned [the animal] to Stanford. In a statement to KXAN Monday, the AAC said that Lakeway’s ban was out of its jurisdiction. On September 13, another Lakeway police report says one of Stanford’s dogs was loose and tried to attack a neighbor’s puppy.” In an e-mail, Lakeway Animal Protection Officer Andrea Greig wrote, “Austin Pets Alive adopted out another pitbull to Patricia Stanford. I contacted them and they told me she adopted a dog that does attack little dogs. I feel she purposely got this dog because [he or she] attacks. I just can’t believe Austin Pets Alive as a rescue does not do even, Google lookups. To say I am livid is an understatement.”

December 2019/Norman, Oklahoma: NormanTranscript.com reported that the city-funded animal shelter, doing business as Norman Animal Welfare Center, requires appointments to accept animals from residents who have animals for whom they can’t—or won’t—care. The report revealed that, “[a]ccording to data analyzed from Animal Welfare at the end of 2018, the shelter was taking an average of 56 days for an owner on the waiting list to receive an update. At the beginning of September, there were nearly 100 animals on the waiting list. . . . As time goes by for owners on the waiting list, owners often begin to look for other avenues for their pets. … [I]t’s common for some pets to be dropped off in rural parts of Norman.” A spokesperson for the city’s Animal Welfare Oversight Committee reportedly explained, “Some of these animals that get dropped off haven’t been spayed, neutered or vaccinated .… [T]his often leads to cats and dogs getting pregnant and having litters, which adds to the animal population. This creates a lot more work for Animal Welfare officers to pick up these animals. In a way, it’s just like kicking the can down the road.”

November 2019/Rowe, New Mexico: SantaFeNewMexican.com reported that authorities had seized 29 dogs from a self-professed animal “refuge” owned by Jessica Taylor. According to IRS.gov, Taylor is the owner of a nonprofit doing business as Green Gates Animal Sanctuary.

The animals had reportedly “been kept in a series of outdoor kennels and in a barn, or left running loose” at her property. According to the report, “Authorities in February charged Taylor with 35 counts of abusing animals—including several felony counts—after San Miguel County sheriff’s deputies seized 26 dogs, two goats and four cats from another property she owns in nearby Ilfeld. . . . Along with the animals seized during the Ilfeld raid in January, court records said, deputies collected carcasses of four dead dogs and a dead goat, as well as animal bones. . . . Dr. Jennifer Steketee, a veterinarian . . . said the case illustrates the need for better oversight of animal shelters, sanctuaries and rescues. ‘It is too easy for someone to obtain nonprofit status, receive support from well-meaning animal lovers and not actually provide a good quality of life for the animals in their care,’ Steketee said.” The seized animals were reportedly being held in temporary situations until another self-professed “sanctuary” was built in Madrid. That property was not yet fully fenced and had no well or running water. The self-professed “rescuer” building it reportedly “said she plans to live in a recreational vehicle on the land with her partner, Jason Jones, while they build kennels and other structures, which she said will take months. She bought a second RV this week for the dogs to sleep in at night while construction continues.”

November 2019/Austin, Texas: KXAN.com reported that an employee of the Austin Animal Center had been transported to a hospital “for serious injuries sustained from a dog bite, according to Austin-Travis County EMS and the Austin Animal Center. The animal center says the dog was in the process of being removed from his kennel when the attack happened.” The dog had reportedly been confined at the facility since September and “had several incidents on record.” He was euthanized after the attack.

November 2019/Des Moines, Iowa: KCCI.com reported that Tina Petraline, the owner of a self-professed “dog rescue” doing business as Unbreakabull Bullies, had been arrested for hoarding 17 dogs in her home. City code reportedly doesn’t allow more than three dogs at any one property. It was reportedly “Petraline’s fifth citation this year.”

November 2019/Nevada, Texas: WFAA.com reported that authorities had seized more than 100 animals from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Astasia’s Angels Animal Rescue. The animals included dogs, cats, and a bearded dragon who were found in a doublewide trailer in which, according to the report, authorities said, “[T]he ammonia levels, mostly found in urine, were very high.” A spokesperson for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Texas said, “The animals are suffering from a variety of issues includ[ing] long nails, eye issues, ear issues, flea infestations, [and skin] issues, and so today our medical team started right away evaluating the animals.” The Collin County sheriff reportedly described the conditions as “reprehensible.” It wasn’t reported whether charges were being considered.

November 2019/Erie, Pennsylvania: ErieNewsNow.com reported that a man had been “arrested on animal cruelty charges for drowning his cat in a bathtub in early November.” He reportedly “told investigators he was going to take [the cat] to an animal shelter but said he knew they had a lot of cats and though[t] they would charge him a fee.” After drowning the animal, he put the body in a trash can outside his home. According to the report, during the investigation “[i]nvestigators asked [the suspect] to show his arms, which had two fresh scratches inside his right wrist area. He told them the scratches came from [the cat] who fought him during the drowning.” The suspect reportedly refused to surrender a second cat in the home. GoErie.com later reported that an animal adoption group had secured custody of the surviving cat.

November 2019/Tampa, Florida: WFLA.com reported that the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center had been “dumping 3-pound kittens, roughly 3 months of age, on the streets as part of its Community Cat program.” According to the report, the most recent program guidelines don’t “mention, as [they] previously did, that cats will be released in areas where caretakers can feed [them and] provide water and medical care for them. In 2016, we reported that 45% of PRC Director Scott Trebatoski’s annual evaluation is tied to increasing live release rates at the county shelter by 5% each year. . . . PRC slated a 3-month-old kitten now named Luigi, his brother and mother for the feral cat program. Lauren Tillotson of CJPaws rescued them. Luigi was just over 3 pounds, his brother weighed just under 3. Luigi was sick with upper respiratory and contagious eye infections, but PRC scheduled to send him out on the streets anyway. … ‘No one would take a 5-year-old child and drive them out to the Bronx and dump them off on a corner and say, “hope you do okay!” Lauren Tillotson said. But in Hillsborough County, 3 pounds is all it takes to get a kitten out the door.” A later report revealed that “Hillsborough County’s Pet Resource Center is lining up sick and injured animals to turn over [to] the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, which in turn eventually dumps them back into neighborhoods all at taxpayers’ expense. 8 On Your Side has discovered the county slated several sick and injured cats and kittens to be neutered, vaccinated then released by the Humane Society. . . . Lauren Tillotson rescued a 3 lb kitten now called Luigi from the TNVR list. ‘He was not healthy when we pulled him,’ Lauren said. ‘His sheet indicates he has an eye condition and that it is infectious.’ She also pulled Luigi’s brother and mother. ‘Their mother, when we received her, had a very high fever, she was not responsive,’ Lauren added. Another cat they pulled from the TNVR list has a permanent limp in a hind leg, is unable to run or jump, is unafraid of large dogs and would not have lived long on the streets. ‘It seems to be mostly about the money, it’s let’s get them out and away as cheaply as possible and let’s keep as many live release numbers as we can,’ Lauren said.”

November 2019/Indianapolis, Indiana: TheIndyChannel.com reported that “Indianapolis Animal Care Services has another full house at the city shelter.” The facility’s deputy director reportedly said, “To accommodate the animals that continue to come into the shelter, staff members have started setting up portable crates for them to stay in until a kennel opens up.” The facility was reportedly giving away animals for free.

November 2019/Middle River, Maryland: Baltimore.CBSLocal.com reported that authorities had seized 150 live and 74 dead cats found hoarded in a home operated by a “trap, neuter, vaccinate and release” group doing business as Colony Cats of Bird River and Beyond. An animal adoption group had reportedly alerted authorities because “[Colony Cats owner] Pamela Arrington would regularly bring cats to [another group] to be checked and diagnosed by … veterinarians, who sent a letter [to authorities] with their concerns. The letter described terrible conditions including cats and kittens with a ‘foul, indescribable odor,’ adding that she sometimes had the odor on her as well. ‘She has also brought us a few kittens who were in incredibly bad shape and refused our medical services and offer to have these sickly kittens admitted into our shelter program, stating she could offer better care of them,’ the letter said.” According to a report by an animal services investigator, when investigators “entered the garage [at her home, they] ‘were immediately met with very high levels of cat urine smell and ammonia.’ ‘My eyes and nose immediately started to burn and run and I had trouble speaking while in the garage,'” wrote the investigator. Other complaints received, apparently from neighbors, expressed concern about conditions because “the odor from her home can be smelled from the street.” Investigators found the home’s “garage … filled with uncleaned cages and litter boxes, and some cats had either no water in their bowls or no bowls at all.” Inside the home, “[t]hey saw cages stacked two stories high which each had anywhere from one to five cats, and most had more feces than kitty litter inside. As the officials passed several cages, the cats inside thrashed around the cages and climbed up on the cage walls—something [an investigator] said meant the cats were experiencing starvation.” During an initial search of the garage, “[t]hey determined there were 76 cats contained within the cages, and approximately half of them had conjunctivitis, infections, leukemia, ulcers and upper respiratory infections. Through their search, they also found 15 dead cats, some in white styrofoam boxes that had been put on top of cages with live cats.” During a second search that included the home, investigators “found 7