17 parrots, 5 tortoises, 2 cats discovered dead Waukesha, WI (US) Incident Date: Tuesday, Dec 20, 2005 County: Waukesha Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Alleged: Adult Female

Case ID: 6734 Classification: Hoarding, Neglect / Abandonment Animal: cat, bird (pet), marine animal (pet) View more cases in WI (US) Login to Watch this Case

On December 20, 2005, 17 parrots, five tortoises and two cats, all dead - as well as eight live cats and five live parrots were discovered at the home after a letter carrier called police and reported that mail had been piling up at the house for six to eight weeks, according to Babe. "The mailman became concerned for the welfare of the occupants there," Babe said.

Officers knocked on the doors of the home in the 500 block of Chicago Ave., but there was no answer. They looked through windows and saw cats running around and a house in disarray. The officers forced their way into the home. "They found carcasses of dead cats - five dead birds in the freezer. The floor was covered several inches thick with feces of the animals. The stench was overpowering," Babe said.

A 52-year-old woman owns the home, and police found her in Walworth County at a friend's home, Babe said. Investigators have not determined whether she was responsible for the animals or whether they were in someone else's care. Babe declined to release the woman's name.
Authorities have not determined what charges, if any, the woman might face if they find she abandoned the animals. City ordinances prohibit more than two cats over the age of 6 months in any household.

The Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County removed the live and dead animals, said Darcy Gustavsson, the society's director of marketing and development. The house appeared to have been abandoned, she said, but Humane Society workers could not determine how long the animals had been alone. "This is disturbing in that they appear to have been abandoned for some time," Gustavsson said.

The birds were large Amazon parrots, which can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, she said. The surviving parrots and cats are at the society, she said. If the owner surrenders them or if the owner does not contact the society in 12 days, the animals will be put up for adoption if they are OK, Gustavsson said. The city building inspector has declared the home unfit for human inhabitation.

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JS Online - December 22, 2005

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