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Case ID: 18533
Classification: Hoarding
Animal: cat, dog (non pit-bull), reptile, rodent/small mammal (pet), rabbit (pet)
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84 animals seized-starving, living in filth
Lake Wales, FL (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Sep 6, 2011
County: Polk

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» Buddy Alan McCann
» Kelly Elizabeth Ryan

A Polk County couple is facing animal cruelty charges after Sheriff's Investigators say they found 84 animals living in filth and near starvation.

Buddy McCann, 33, and Kelly Ryan, 38 were both taken into custody Wednesday after a neighbor called to complain about the smell coming from the couple's home on Oleno Avenue in Lake Wales. Deputies arrived Tuesday but found no one home. When they came back later that night, they say they found the home without running water or electricity and filled with animals with no access to food or water.

The animals were taken to Polk County Animal Control for treatment.

"These dogs simply aren't receiving proper care," said veterinarian Dr. Joseph Ertel who examined each of the 47 dogs brought in. "We found problems on every one of them."

Several of the dogs observed by the deputies had matted hair and fleas, and were in need of dental care. The suspects told deputies only one of the 47 dogs in the home had been seen by a vet in the last year.

The animals are expected to survive but are malnourished and infested.

"The ones that have the longer hair are matted, lot of fecal material in the mats with urine stains, dermatitis, inflammation of the skin related to the fleas," said Dr. Joe Ertel, Polk Co. Animal Services.

One puppy was found dead.

Dr. Joseph Ertel, the veterinarian who examined the puppy, found no food in its stomach or intestines, only fluid that contained a massive amount of hookworms.

Along with the dogs, 20 cats, 3 rabbits, 3 ferrets, 10 fish and a frog were seized from the home. James Rodgers lives next door and says the smell was unbearable.

"They all suffered," Dr. Ertel said.

"In order to go outside you'd have to put a used drier sheet over your nose," said Rodgers who says the smell got even worse two weeks ago when the couple's power was shut off and they started opening their window. "My wife came in last week and she made it from the truck to the front door step and threw up, the smell was that bad."

McCann and Ryan both face 84 counts of animal cruelty as the county fights for legal custody over the animals. Until a court grants that request, the pets are not eligible to be adopted out, and animal services warns that process may take weeks.

References

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