Hoarding - over 100 animals seized
Bleeker, NY (US)Incident Date: Friday, Jun 17, 2005
County: Fulton
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Sheila Penney
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
On June 17, environmental officers charged Shelia Penney of the Town of Bleeker with a total of 126 violations, including 89 counts of failing to provide good air, food, shelter and water to a confined animal.
Animal rehabilitator Bonnie Folnsbee said, "There was a young fox, probably half grown, that was also living in a 10 gallon aquarium, in its feces."
Lt. Scott Florence of EnCon said, "We found over 100 animals in the living area of the house itself."
Animal rehabilitator Becky Sutton said, "Some of the birds were in terrible shape. The majority of the robins we took in had to be euthanized."
Lt. Florence said, "There was one room that was just full of squirrels that had been in there for over a year, according to Miss Penney."
And it's all the more surprising for these animal care workers because Penney had been a licensed wildlife rehabilitator herself.
Folnsbee said, "The cardinal rule when you're a rehabilitator is not to get in over your head."
Now the animals that survived will be nursed back to health before they are released back into the wild.
Penney is set to appear in the Town of Bleeker Court on July 6.
Case UpdatesA former animal rehabilitator charged with 126 violations of animal cruelty was back in court Wednesday night.
Department of Environmental Conservation investigators said they found scores of wild animals at the Bleecker home of Sheila Penney.
Many of the animals didn't have enough food, water, or good air and many of them were packed into cages that were just too small for them.
Penney was arraigned and released on her own recognizance and will be back in the Town of Bleecker Court at a later date. | Source: Capital 9 News - July 7, 2005
Update posted on Jul 9, 2005 - 6:08AM |
According to Bleeker Town Supervisor David Howard, a health officer examined Sheila Penney's home on County Highway 125 in Fulton County. They found dozens of filthy cages on her property, and said her home is a big mess from the scores of wild animals she kept there.
Code enforcement officials will inspect the house, and give her 60 to 90 days to come into compliance before she can move back in. | Source: Capital 9 News - June 24, 2005
Update posted on Jun 24, 2005 - 8:34PM |
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