Patricia Benjamin and her son, Jeremiah Lee, have each been charged with one count of animal abuse or neglect. Benjamin is also charged with keeping animals without proper care. They have both pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty.
Benjamin, a San Diego pet groomer, and her son lived in a house that animal control authorities said was full of diseased animals.
Animal control authorities removed 41 animals, nine dead birds, some skeletal remains, and two dead cats. The cats were found in the garage and had become "mummified" and were stuck together. Authorities also removed 11 dead animals.
A search warrant was served on the house on Cochran Avenue in San Diego. They found a variety of animals such as snakes, parrots, pit bull puppies, cats all living in foul-smelling and filthy conditions.
Lee told authorities that "he let the cats starve because he thought they were mean."
Benjamin and Lee entered their not guilty pleas Wednesday night in Superior Court. Each faces a maximum of one year in jail for each count.
A neighbor contacted animal control to complain about the house. The neighbor said children living at the home had to enter through a bedroom window "to avoid stepping on the mess on the floor."
In December animal control officers tried to enter the property but each time either no one was home or Benjamin would not let them in. Finally, on March 9, Immigration and Naturalization Service officers went to the house to investigate a complaint that an undocumented immigrant was living there. When the INS officers entered the home, they saw animals in filthy cages, trash piled against the walls and an intolerable odor of urine.
Animal control officers got a warrant March 16 and removed the animals.
Benjamin had worked as a pet groomer at businesses in Tierrasanta and Coronado.
Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
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