A condemned house has become a neighborhood crisis in Mansfield, where residents said that the home is creating a serious health threat because it is teeming with abandoned cats.
According to news reports, the police said that it's not a police issue. The Board of Health condemned the home, but has not done anything about the animals.
"The fly problem from the fecal matter has started three years ago. All the different agencies have been called," neighbor Francis Keady.
No one has lived in the home since Wednesday (June 22), except the cats and dog that are locked inside the home.
"A month ago in Attleboro, that guy left in handcuffs for abusing animals. That's the same thing going on here. I feel it's a police matter," Keady said.
Police said that it is not a police matter, and the Board of Health agent who condemned the home is now on vacation. He left before taking care of the animals and does not return until Tuesday (June 28).
"This is definitely animal abuse. I feel it is a police issue. I feel it is a Board Of Health issue," Keady said.
The homeowner was sentenced to federal prison in the 1990s for illegal possession of a machine gun. Case UpdatesThe 51 cats taken from a Bella Vista home last month are in the care of the Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, but their actual location and condition were not released by MSPCA officials.
Peter Gollub, director of law enforcement for the MSPCA in Boston, did say they continue to work with the cats' owner, Earl Chartier.
The cats were removed in late June after the Chartier's home was condemned by the Board of Health.
Acting on an earlier complaint, the MSPCA had been working with Chartier prior to the house being condemned and continues to work with him, Gollub said.
"Whenever and wherever possible we try to work with the people in the house," Gollub said. "We try where possible to craft a resolution that does the most good to the most people keeping the interest of the animals in mind."
When the house was condemned by BOH, cats had to be removed right away, said Mansfield's animal control officer Jeff Collins
The Mansfield Animal Shelter was not involved since the MSCPA had already been working with the owner and the timing left the local shelter little time to prepare homes for the many cats, Collins said.
In a previous Mansfield case, the local shelter knew in advance of a home with more than 30 cats and had time to help arrange alternative homes, Collins said
Chartier had signed the cats over to MSPCA once house was condemned, Collins said.
Collins added the cats were in good condition. He said that there was an automatic water feeder in the home, and Chartier, who works out of state, brought 50-pound bag of food every couple days.
"Some were rather plump," Collins said.
Chartier's dog was not taken as previously reported. The dog is staying in a dog house and pen on the property and being fed by relatives, Collins said.
With the publicity of this case, the MSPCA has gotten many calls about the cats.
Gollub said cases with large numbers of cats are not common but are not rare either. They can also be complicated because of legal and other related issues.
This case involved the Board of Health," Gollub said. "Sometimes the fire department is involved."
Those interested in helping the cats, can contact the MSCPA. People can get on a list to adopt homeless pets or offer donations. Call the Boston MSPCA at 617-522-5055 or the Brockton MSPCA at 508 586-2053. | Source: Mansfield News - July 8, 2005
Update posted on Jul 9, 2005 - 5:39AM |
References | The Boston Channel via Yahoo News |
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