Animal Services seized 172 animals from Dorothy Moquin on Matador Lane in Homosassa, Florida. 69 cats, 70 dogs, 2 parrots and a pig were living inside her mobile home and had allegedly not been outside for years. An additional 27 cats and three dogs were also removed from outside the mobile home. Most of these animals were reportedly suffering from neglect, covered in urine and feces, had overgrown nails into the pads, had upper respiratory infections. skin disorders and their fur was matted to the skin.
Some of the animals, which included two parrots and a pig, became stunned Tuesday as Citrus County Animal Services worker carried them outside the mobile home. Many of them, workers said, hadn't been outside in years.
"If I had to house them in individual kennels," said Animal Services director Xan Rawls, "I could string them from here to Fort Lauderdale."
Workers had to make two trips with a 16-foot trailer, usually used for horses, to transport the animals to the county shelter. They included small cats, poodles, Shih Tzus, chihuahuas and mixed breeds.
Some were suffering from burns and skin illnesses because they had been living in urine. Many suffered from upper respiratory illnesses. One cat died this week at the shelter, Rawls said.
The home where they were found is in Homosassa, a small village south of Crystal River. The owner, 76-year-old Dorothy Moquin, is the only person living there, authorities said.
A complaint about an aggressive dog in late December first led workers to the mobile home, where they saw a number of animals outside, including about 75 turkeys, chickens, ducks and geese.
The workers asked Moquin if they could come inside, and they noticed that Moquin and the mobile home smelled of feces and urine, Rawls said. Moquin would not let them in.
After at least three more visits, Citrus County Sheriff's Office deputies escorted six animal services workers inside with a search warrant.
They saw cats draped on almost every inch of furniture, a Pekingese dog without eyes in a play pen and a pig in a dog cage. Dogs overran the kitchen and dining room.
The floor, often could not be seen.
"You literally had to step back," Rawls said. "You could not breathe. Your eyes watered. Your nose ran."
Moquin told authorities that many of the animals hadn't been outside in years, Rawls said. Moquin did not share many details of her life, Rawls said, other than she had worked or volunteered in animal rescue.
Moquin was issued 8 counts of failure to provide humane care civil citations in the amount of $840.00 which will be heard in front of Judge Mark Yerman, March 8, 2005. During the Feb 17 custody hearing, Judge Yerman ordered Moquin to never exceed a combined total of 8 pets in the future.
Moquin stated she loves animals and couldn't find homes for them since she "is fussy about where they might go." She stated she couldn't let them go the Animal Services fearing they might be euthanized.
None of the animals are available for adoption because of the pending case, but animal services is accepting monetary donations and cat and dog food.
Prosecutor's contact information:
The Honorable Bradley E. King
State�s Attorney, Fifth Judicial Circuit
110 N. Apopka Ave.
Inverness, FL 34450-4293 Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
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