 Hoarding - up to 28 dogs and cats
Edwardsville, IL (US)Date: Feb 3, 2005
County: Madison
Local Map: available
Disposition: Not Charged
Person of Interest: Viola K. McCain
|
|
On Feb 3, 2005, authorities seized a dog and her three puppies from a rural Edwardsville home where they say up to 28 dogs and cats had stayed recently without sufficient food, water, or shelter. But the owner, 87-year-old Viola K. McCain, who lives at the two-story home at 8050 Mick Road, said Friday that the animals had indeed received adequate care. She denied having 28 dogs and cats on her property.
"I had eight dogs," she said. "We had a lot of cats. Somebody dumped 'em here over the winter. They keep dumping and dumping and dumping."
McCain said authorities allowed her to keep three dogs.
No charges have been filed against her so far.
Amy Maher, a prosecutor with the Madison County State's Attorney's Office, said she contacted the Madison County Sheriff's Department Thursday after receiving a call from the the Metro East Humane Society.
"It's still under investigation," said Leigh Ramsey, assistant to the director for the Metro East Humane Society. "We expect to be able to comment Monday. It's possible there will be more animals involved."
Sheriff's Deputy Lora Acra filed for a search warrant on Thursday and drove out to the home along with Licensed Humane Investigator Robert Golding, with the Humane Society, and an investigator with the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
According to the search warrant, the sheriff's department received a report from the Humane Society and the IDA that investigators had gone to the home and seen at least 13 dogs and 15 cats on the property.
Investigators also observed "a lack of appropriate and sufficient food, water, and shelter," according to the search warrant.
When they returned the next day, the situation had not improved, authorities said. "Some of the animals could not be located and one of the puppies was extremely ill and no veterinary care had been obtained," according to the warrant.
Madison County Sheriff's Capt. Donald Bunt said Friday that McCain made conflicting statements to investigators but that when they returned with the search warrant, she led them to the three puppies and their mother under a trailer. Bunt said the police report did not indicate how many dogs and cats had been on the property.
The house had no lights and no water, according to the police report. But McCain said Friday that she did, in fact, have electricity, and that while she had no running water, she got water from an electric pump.
"That was just a mixed up deal," she said of the report.
Maher said officials had been concerned about conditions at the house and that "it was not in good shape for people or animals."
Asked whether it has become more common for people to keep too many animals at their homes, Maher said, "It seems we're seeing more, but I don't know if that's just because people know now that it's a problem that has to be dealt with." Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
Back to Top References« Back to Search Results
|
