Hoarding, dozens seized, some in freezer
Reading, OH (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Aug 1, 2007
County: Hamilton
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available
Alleged: Judith A. Vonderheide
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
The SPCA was also called out today to a house in Reading. Officers found dozens of animals - dogs, cats, birds and even ferrets and lizards - living in disgusting conditions.
They also found many dead animals, some in a freezer, some just strewn around the property.
The homeowner, Judith Vonder-Heide, is charged with six counts of animal cruelty, with more charges pending.
Case UpdatesHow many animals can one home handle? It's a question a local village is trying to answer again tonight. The SPCA and Health Department officials were called to a house on West Crest Drive in Reading this week because of the horrendous smell coming from the property.
Local 12's Rich Jaffe says Reading officials know all too well about the problems at that address. Looking at the tiny house, it's hard to imagine just how many animals have been living behind these walls. But on Tuesday, SPCA officials got a look at just how many animals Virginia Vonderheide had.
Jennifer Schwaller, SPCA Cincinnati: "There's about 30 birds, six dogs in the basement in cages, about 20 or 30 reptiles upstairs, tarantulas, snakes, you name it, guinnea pigs, bunnies, ferrets, just about anything you can come up with...most of them had feces in their cages, pretty thick, most didn't have water..."
SPCA officers confiscated six dogs and a variety of other animals from the home on and are filing at least six animal cruelty charges against Vonderheide. While SPCA officials confiscated a number of animals here there are still quite a few in here. The house reeks of cat urine and you can hear birds, and see cats in the windows.
Donna Marcum, Neighbor: "Dogs love to run and I'm not kidding, if they were let out twice a day that was a lot, and you're talking about a golden lab, a german shephard...and then the stench from the backyard was atrocious."
Neighbors raised such a stink about the problem at this house that last year Reading officials passed an emergency ordinance that says you can't own more than four dogs on a property like this. Is it reasonable to assume that various city departments in Reading are now looking back at your ordinance and that property to see if they are indeed in violation?
Robert Bemmes, Mayor of Reading: "Yes, I have been out of town for a few days, but my law director is looking into that, as well as the police."
Officials from SPCA Cincinnati and the Hamilton County Health Department say they plan to make return visits to the home in the next few days to make sure there are no other violations. | Source: Local 12 News - Aug 3, 2007
Update posted on Aug 7, 2007 - 5:46AM |
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