Animals seized from home
Williamsport, PA (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Sep 22, 2011
County: Lycoming

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» Laurella Reed
» William E. Reed

The Lycoming County SPCA responded to a report of animal neglect made by an anonymous citizen on Thursday.

Laurella Reed, 32, and William E. Reed, 49, of 1542 Memorial Ave., were housing and breeding multiple animals in their home under unsafe and unhealthy conditions, according to an affidavit filed by the SPCA.

Multiple SPCA humane officers and workers responded to the home and reported rescuing 34 guinea pigs, a 12-year-old black Labrador, a large adult iguana, 25 assorted fish, three crawfish, five apple snails and one red-ear slider turtle.

The guinea pigs were kept in five to six large wooden and wire crates in one of the bedrooms of the home, and the iguana was left to roam the house and was found by the SPCA crawling on a dirty couch.

"The iguana goes to the bathroom in the bathtub," Laurella Reed told the SPCA. "He doesn't spend any time in a cage. That's our child."

She also said that she had been breeding and selling the guinea pigs to a local pet shop for the past year.

According to Lawrence D. Woltz, humane officer, the entire first floor of the residence was trashed and covered with piles of debris, dirty clothes, food and animal droppings.

The Reeds are in violation of a state crimes code that addresses animal neglect, abuse and deprivation of necessary food, water, clean sanitary shelter and veterinary care, Woltz said. They also are in violation of a number of housing and fire codes including sanitation issues, according to the SPCA.

Also living in the residence were two children, ages 3 and 6, who are not permitted back into the residence until proper measures are taken to clean and bring the structure up to code, according to Lycoming County Children and Youth Services.

All of the animals were removed from the home Thursday and transported to the SPCA.

The guinea pigs, fish and turtle are available for adoption at the facility, while the dog will need further veterinary evaluation due to his age.

The iguana also will be evaluated by a veterinarian and later released back to the Reeds after the home is brought to code, according to the SPCA.

"The owners will be cited for neglect under the Pennsylvania anti-cruelty law," Woltz said.

To report animal cruelty or neglect, call the Lycoming County SPCA at 322-4646.

References

« PA State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Lycoming County, PA

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