Hoarding 16 dogs
San Marcos, CA (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Dec 9, 2006
County: San Diego
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Mina L. Sharpe
Authorities seized more than a dozen small dogs from a San Marcos woman suspected of hoarding the animals in her home, animal control officials said.
Mine Sharpe, 25, was found at about 10 a.m. Dec. 9 with 16 dogs and two rabbits in her Linda Vista Drive duplex, animal control officer Tunis VanBerkum said.
Authorities who arrived at the home said "the house did reek of urine," and many of the dogs were elderly and suffered from complications such as blindness, skin issues, ear infections or upper respiratory infections, VanBerkum said. The home, which was about 700 square feet in size, also did not have a yard, though a makeshift fence was built to keep the animals on the small patio, he said.
The house "wasn't (fit) for some human being to be living in, much less animals," VanBerkum said.
Officials took custody of the rabbits and seven dogs that day, and Sharpe's mother and grandfather brought the remaining dogs to animal control authorities the next day, he said.
According to VanBerkum, Sharpe had previously been prosecuted in Carlsbad for animal cruelty earlier this year. She apparently moved to San Marcos after the ruling in an attempt to avoid complying with the terms of her probation, which allowed her to keep two animals and find homes for the others, he said.
Sharpe, who was under an active bench warrant, was not arrested but is now in the care of her mother, a Carlsbad resident, VanBerkum said.
Sharpe is believed to have acquired the dogs by posing as a dog rescuer, said Jennifer Dolan, the public relations coordinator for the Escondido Humane Society, where the dogs are in veterinary care.
"She presented herself as a rescuer that would find homes for them," Dolan said, adding that many of the dogs were obtained from other rescue services.
However, animal rescue organizations must register as nonprofit, 501c3 organizations, and Sharpe "never showed any documentation of any sort," and is barred from such activity because of her animal cruelty conviction, VanBerkum said.
All of the dogs in veterinary care are small breeds, including chihuahua and shih tzu mixes, and are expected to survive, Dolan said.
The Humane Society is asking for the public's help in caring for the dogs through financial contributions, dry Nutro dog food and foster homes.
For more information, call (760) 888-2275 or visit www.escondidohumanesociety.org. References« CA State Animal Cruelty Map
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