Case Report

Patricia Scott may face animal cruelty or neglect charges after a large number of animals, mostly dogs, were discovered in squalor conditions in her home on the city�s south side.

Most of the animals are now at the Porter County Animal Shelter south of Valparaiso, including 24 dogs that will be examined by veterinarians.

Porter County Animal Control Officer Brian Sexton said he will meet with prosecutors to determine what charges should be filed.

Being considered are misdemeanor charges that each carry a jail sentence of up to 180 days and a fine of up to $1,000.

Sexton is taking paperwork to the prosecutor�s office and expects to file multiple charges, he said.

The potential charges continue a bizarre string of events since a Monday fire at Scott�s house at 6 Dumas St.

An inspection was scheduled at the home Monday morning by the Porter County Health Department and county animal control, prompted by complaints about animals there.

Before inspectors arrived, Scott, 56, moved most of the animals from her home.

Not long after the inspection, the house caught fire due to candles burning in the home. Officials speculate the candles were burning to mask the animal smell.

Reports from that fire indicated just a handful of animals being saved from the home.

But at some point later Monday, Scott brought back to the house more than 30 animals. Some were put in vehicles on the property, authorities said.

Citizen calls to animal control officers on Tuesday about Scott returning animals to the burned home brought officials back to the house, revealing the ruse.

And the tragic condition of the animals.

Sandy Ogle, Porter County Animal Shelter director, said officers Tuesday removed 24 dogs, three birds, a rabbit, three cats, a tarantula, a scorpion and a millipede.

Five birds and three snakes were dead inside the house.

The basement was damaged enough by the fire that it was hard to tell if any other animals perished, Ogle said.

Scott volunteered her home to animals from Mixed-Up Mutts, a LaPorte-based canine rescue group.

Chris Stevens, Mixed-Up treasurer, said the group �was blindsided� by Scott�s actions and her previous animal cruelty arrests under a different name.

Scott was convicted in 1990 of cruelty to animals while using a last name of Reynolds.  In that incident, she had more than 20 animals in her home on West Street in Valparaiso. She also was convicted of similar charges in LaPorte County in 1999, according to Ogle.

�We screen people before allowing them to provide foster homes for dogs and nothing about her convictions showed up,� Stevens said. Scott had been a dog groomer in Valparaiso and had done similar work in Michigan City, he said.

Julie Wolf, environmental health specialist for the Porter County Health Department, said Wednesday that in response to complaints about the animals� living conditions, she tried to make a surprise inspection at Scott�s home, as did animal control officers. But Scott was never home.

Wolf then sent a letter, which gave Scott time to remove some of the animals.

�I didn�t realize there was a basement and the first floor was clean, no feces or other waste anywhere,� Wolf said of the Monday visit that didn�t result in official action.

After Wolf left, a candle Scott told firefighters she left burning in the basement for 15 or 20 minutes started a fire, burning the basement and a bedroom and causing extensive smoke damage.

�We don�t know what she did with most of the animals, but they weren�t there Monday morning,� said Ogle.

Sexton said the dogs will be checked by veterinarians to see which ones can be adopted.

�We hope most will be adoptable,� Ogle said.

Case Updates

References