78 rabbits seized from a townhouse
Columbia, MD (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Jan 12, 2011
County: Howard

Disposition: Alleged

Abuser names unreleased

Howard County police officers this week discovered and confiscated 78 rabbits from a Columbia residence strewn with debris and animal feces.

The rabbits were found Wednesday and Thursday in a townhouse in the 5800 block of Barnwood Place in the Hickory Ridge area after officers received an anonymous tip about animals living in poor conditions inside the home, according to police.

Though most of the rabbits were in good health, officers seized them after they determined the animals were living in an unsafe, unclean environment.

Police were so worried about the home's cleanliness, they contacted the Howard County Health Department to evaluate the home's fitness for its human residents, a 46-year-old woman and her 18-year-old son.

"The house had clutter and debris, it was in disarray," police spokeswoman Elizabeth Schroen said.

Police, who declined to identify the homeowners, found 64 rabbits in an initial investigation on Wednesday. Fearing that additional rabbits were hiding in the clutter, animal control returned on Thursday and found 14 more.

Schroen said the case was an example of animal hoarding.

Eric Hatcher, who lives next door to the townhouse, says he had complained to the health department many times after he discovered large rats on the property.

"It's been the talk of the neighborhood for the last two summers, her property, because of all the problems and everything," Hatcher said. "We never, ever had any kind of rat problems, but this summer because of all the odors and the stuff over there, there were so many flies everywhere."

But Hatcher said he was surprised to hear about all of the rabbits.

"We saw one big gray rabbit that she had outside from time to time, but we didn't know about all those bunnies until yesterday," he said.

Howard County police are not unfamiliar with animal hoarding.

In 2006, police found more than 100 dead, diseased or malnourished cats hoarded in an Owen Brown townhouse. Seventeen of the cats were dead and another 50 were in such bad condition they had to be euthanized.

Unlike in the 2006 case, all of the animals found yesterday were alive and most are fit to be adopoted, according to Schroen.

A veterinarian was examining the rabbits Thursday, and the healthy ones will be available for adoption.

Police are not releasing the names of the woman or her son because no charges have been filed.

In the 2006 case, it took approximately a month for police to charge the homeowners with animal cruelty, Schroen said. Once convicted, Ayten Icgoren, then 81, was sentenced to six months in jail. Her daughter, Nese Icgoren, then 52, was sentenced to 74 days in prison.

Schroen said those responsible for the rabbit hoarding could face similar charges.

"In the past there have been criminal and civil charges that are applicable in these types of cases," she said. "Some of the penalties may include mandatory cleanup in the residence and guidelines that the owner may not have more than a certain number of pets."

Schroen said the courts also could mandate counseling.

Rabbits can be adopted from the county for a fee of $30, which covers the cost of mandatory spay or neuter surgery. The Howard County Animal Control & Adoption Center is located at 8576 Davis Road, in Columbia. Adoption hours are as follows:

• Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Tuesdays from 1:30 to 7 p.m.

• Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Anyone interested in adopting a rabbit can call 410-313-2780.

References

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