Thirty-nine dogs and cats seized
Lorain, OH (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Aug 28, 2003
County: Lorain
Disposition: Not Charged
Person of Interest: Kathleen Edwards
Kathleen Edwards, 59, suffered two strokes while driving Thursday evening, July 29. The next day while she was in the hospital she asked a nurse to have someone check on her pets. The hospital asked the police to follow up on Edwards' request.
Loraine County Humane Officer Mitch Witherell said he could smell the ammonia from the curb before entering the home. Soon after he entered the home his legs were bloody from more than 50 flea bites.
Several animal welfare organizations removed 31 cats, eight dogs and two turtles from the house on East 35th Street in Lorain. The animals were taken to the Place-A-Pet Foundation on West 110th Street in Cleveland. The animals will be examined and then put up for adoption.
Liz Kahout, Place-A-Pet organization, said "The inside of the house was terrible. There were animals in metal cages stacked on top of on another with no litter boxes in them. The cages and the floors were caked with feces."
Edwards fits the definition of an animal hoarder: an older person who lives alone, little or no contact with any relatives, and their home is a dumping grounds for unwanted animals. She did not go out to find animals, the animals were left on her porch. Edwards spent all the money she had feeding and taking care of the animals.
Loraine County Humane Officer Mitch Witherell said, "These kinds of people need help from the police, the health department, adult protective services and the community, and that's what we have been discussing."
Witherell asked neighbors to pay attention to continued problems that don't disappear. "People need to understand what this is and call someone. Don't let the animals and the people suffer." References- Cleveland Plain Dealer - Aug 3, 2004
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