Feb 3, 2012 6:00am

Animals Seized in Extreme Hoarding Case

ht animal hoarding home jef 120202 wblog Animals Seized in Extreme Hoarding Case

                                                                                                         (Image Credit: Pinal County)

Ninety-three dogs and five exotic birds were seized from a private residence in Maricopa, Ariz., in what officials called an “extreme” case of animal hoarding.

“The floors were covered in fecal matter. There was a soiled mattress with exposed springs that the owners were sleeping on. At some point there was a fire at the site and there was a hole in the roof that had a tarp over it,” Heather Murphy, spokesperson for Pinal County told ABCNews.com. “It was the most awful living conditions I have ever seen.”

Officials received an anonymous tip on Tuesday and began removing the animals from the home and placing them in a shelter, which is now running over capacity.

“The immediate crisis we’re in now is we have to house all of the animals. They have to be checked by a vet before they can be placed for adoption,” Murphy said.

After each of the animals is examined by a veterinarian, the findings will be passed along to the county attorney, who will make a determination regarding whether the owners will face animal cruelty charges

“Some of them looked to be in pretty good shape, health wise,” Murphy said. “We hope we can make the adoptable and place them in great homes.”

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User Comments

These are horrible conditions, not only for the animals, but for the people. Does it not occur to any “officials” that hoarding is a mental illness? Does it not occur to the “authorities” that this couple probably suffers some medical harm from living in these conditions. Noooooo. It’s all about the animals. It’s all about charging these obviously mentally ill people with a crime — not getting them some help. The USA is more concerned for starving and mistreated DOGS than they are for starving and mistreated PEOPLE. Get a freaking clue.

Posted by: MsT-Mac | February 3, 2012, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm

hey mst-mac, the people can help themselves, they wanted to live that like and its their choice to do so, the dogs were being held captive in terrible conditions that were the fault of these people. its criminal what they did and they deserve to be charged with a crime.

Posted by: 605pete | February 3, 2012, 2:07 pm 2:07 pm

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