Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Hoarding - 17 dogs, 16 cats, several found dead

Hoarding - 17 dogs, 16 cats, several found dead
Wheat Ridge, CO (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Sep 2, 2004
County: Jefferson
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 2 files available

Abusers/Suspects:
» George Greer, III
» Betty Merci - Alleged

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Case ID: 2751

Classification: Hoarding

Animal: cat, dog (non pit-bull)

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Suspect was in animal welfare field

A Wheat Ridge couple who ran a reported "animal shelter" out of their home were cited with 26 counts of animal cruelty, police said.

This emaciated afghan dog was one of several rescued from the home of George Greer and Betty Merci.

George Greer III, 56, and Betty Merci, 60 took in dozens of animals as part of their "Save an Animal Foundation." But the foundation is not a registered business and the animals they took in were neglected, Wheatridge police spokeswoman Lisa Stigall said.

On Sept. 2, animal control officers were called to the couple's home at 3700 Wadsworth Avenue to remove animals from the property. 17 dogs had been placed in various animal shelters or with breed-specific organizations.

The dogs were emaciated, dehydrated, maggot-infested, and had other health problems. Several dogs were euthanized by a local veterinary clinic almost immediately, Stigall said.

In the garage, officers found 16 adult cats, nearly half of which were already dead, Stigall said. Those cats that hadn't died were on the verge of starvation. The cats were apparently eating each other to survive, Stigall said.

Animal control officers say the garage where the cats were living was in deplorable condition.

Several of the cats were immediately put to sleep, while the survivors were taken to a feral cat rescue organization.

"This is the worst case of neglect I've seen in Wheat Ridge in my 14 years on the job," said animal control officer Vickie Weigel. "People really need to research an organization before leaving their animals there."

Greer and Merci are scheduled to appear in Wheat Ridge Municipal Court on Oct. 25 at 1 p.m. The maximum penalty for each animal cruelty charge is up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.

Case Updates

A municipal court judge Monday granted probation to a 56-year-old man who admitted his guilt in what an animal control officer called "the worst case of neglect" she has seen in 14 years on the job.

"Some of those animals died a horrible death," Judge Charles J. Rose told George Greer III before sentencing him to a year of supervised probation, 365 days in county jail and a $5,000 fine on 26 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty.

"To do this was worse than anything else you could have done (to the animals)," Rose said. "You could have done something and you chose not to."

But Rose, citing Greer's poor health and lack of a job, suspended the jail time and all but $1,000 of the fine on the condition that Greer comply with the terms of his probation, including no contact with animals and no animal-related offenses during the next year.

The remaining fine will be discharged if Greer completes 165 hours of community service, Rose said.

Each count of animal cruelty is punishable by a maximum one year in county jail and fine of up to $1,000.

Greer would not comment after the sentencing.

But Beth Springer, director of the Good Samaritan Pet Center in Denver, said she is "shocked and mortified" that Greer's sentence was not more severe.

"This is a great disservice to all the animals that died in their home," said Springer.

Greer and Betty J. Merci, 60, were charged with animal cruelty after 16 cats and 17 dogs, many of them dead and the remainder dying or emaciated, were removed from the property.

Merci is scheduled to be in court Feb. 14.

The city shut down their unlicensed Save An Animal Foundation, which they operated at their house at 3700 Wadsworth Blvd., after an acquaintance told police in early September that a number of dogs and cats at the unlicensed shelter were on the verge of starvation.

When Animal, Parks, and Code Enforcement Department officers arrived, they found 16 adult cats in the garage. Nearly half were dead.

A family friend who called police already had taken many of the dogs to Mesa Animal Hospital where five had to be euthanized.

Several of the cats also were euthanized and many of the others were taken to a feral cat rescue shelter.

Source: Rocky MOuntain News - Dec 14, 2004
Update posted on Dec 14, 2004 - 3:27AM

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The Denver Channel - Sept 22, 2004

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Hoarding - 17 dogs, 16 cats, several found deadWheat Ridge, CO (US)

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Hoarding - 17 dogs, 16 cats, several found dead
Wheat Ridge, CO (US)