Hoarding - 62 dogs
San Jose, CA (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Aug 25, 2004
County: Santa Clara

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Not Released

62 dogs roaming amid flies and a thick layer of feces and urine, which covered the concrete floor of the sparsely furnished home were seized by authorities.

There were holes in the walls, electrical outlets that had been visibly chewed by the dogs -- border collie-terrier mixes, many of them puppies and malnourished. All reportedly had been kept by a woman whom authorities cited and released on a misdemeanor charge of animal neglect. Her name was not released.

"I love all of them. I was trying to make sure they had good homes,'' said the woman, who would not give her name but insisted the dogs were cared for.

San Jose's animal care and services department carefully removed the dogs, filling six trucks. Some had bloody feet while others could not walk at all. Some of the dogs were nursing, and others were pregnant. Several appeared frightened, thin and in need of medical care.

"I don't believe she had malicious intent, but the outcome was the same. No one can care for 62 dogs,'' said Jamie Matthews of San Jose's city code enforcement. ``It's a tragedy for the nimals.'' San Jose law allows a maximum of two dogs per household.

Alerted by a complaint, authorities went to the home, where there were about  eight dogs roaming in the front yard. Later, with the owner's consent, they went inside and discovered the ghastly scene, immediately condemning the three-bedroom home, which had no working plumbing.

It was not the first time authorities were at the home. Six months ago, officers fined the owner $3,000 after discovering she had 30 dogs. She apparently moved with the dogs and later returned, with more dogs.

The dogs are currently under protective custody at Humane Society Silicon Valley. If the owner relinquishes her claim on them, the healthy ones will be put up for adoption. For more information, call the Humane Society at (408) 727-3383.

References

• mercurynews.com

« CA State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Santa Clara County, CA

Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.

For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.