Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Hoarding - 60 dogs, 40 cats

Hoarding - 60 dogs, 40 cats
Suffolk, VA (US)

Incident Date: Monday, May 8, 2006
County: Suffolk City
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 3 files available

Abuser/Suspect: Francine M. Cochran

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Case ID: 8454

Classification: Hoarding

Animal: cat, dog (non pit-bull)

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Suspect was in animal welfare field

Child or elder neglect

Suffolk Animal Control received a call on May 8 of a lost dog, but when they arrived at Francine Cochran's home they found a bigger problem.

Cochran was housing about 100 animals in and around her home. There were about 60 dogs and 40 cats at the home, along with a lot of rats.

Some of the animals will have to be put down, and the ones that are healthy enough will be put up for adoption.

Cochran says she had collected the animals, because they were strays or had been dropped off. Her 12-year-old son also lived in the home. She told WAVY News 10 that she made sure to keep his room cleaned.

The home has been condemned.

Case Updates

A woman once known as "the animal helper" in her neighborhood pleaded guilty Thursday to inflicting cruelty on the dogs and cats she tried to save.

Francine M. Cochran, 41, was trying to support 58 dogs and 38 cats in and around her rural house in southern Suffolk when police discovered the situation in May. Authorities said the animals were living in squalor with rats, and a majority of the animals were euthanized because of poor health and personality problems.

Cochran entered General District Court on Thursday ready to go to trial on the charges against her: 10 counts of animal cruelty, 10 counts of not having current rabies certificates and 10 counts of not having a city dog license, all misdemeanors. She accepted a plea deal, however, and received two years and six months of probation and a $1,000 restitution fee in exchange for guilty pleas on five counts of each charge.

Before her hearing, Cochran held on to her paperwork in a glossy, kitten-themed folder and spoke excitedly about a new development in her case: A firefighter had adopted one of her dogs from the city's animal shelter. It was Nick, a "bouncy, bouncy, bouncy" miniature pinscher that Cochran had worried might not find another home.

"It made me so happy that he got adopted," Cochran said.

Kathy Mullins, the manager of the city's animal shelter, said no matter what C ochran's motives were, her situation had "descended into hoarding." Some of her animals had lived in crates so long that open spaces made them anxious, Mullins said. A veterinarian who evaluated the animals said in May that some of the dogs had lost 90 percent of their hair.

Cochran said she didn't know what to do with the animals once their number began to overwhelm her. She said she is seeing a therapist; continued mental health treatment is a requirement in her plea deal.

Several friends supported Cochran in court. One was Carol Bancroft, who once gave some of her pets to Cochran. "She was known in the neighborhood as 'Francine the animal helper,' " Bancroft said.

The plea deal allows Cochran to keep no more than five dogs and five cats for the rest of her life. She's also required to get yearly check ups for her pets and must allow animal control officers to inspect her home monthly.

Cochran also will be getting three of her cats back.

Source: Virginia Pilot - Sept 22, 2006
Update posted on Oct 8, 2006 - 11:00PM

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A homeowner, from whom authorities confiscated 86 dogs and cats Monday, has been arrested.
Police reported Wednesday that Francine Cochran, 41, has been arrested and charged with 10 counts of animal neglect/cruelty (misdemeanor), 10 counts failure to vaccinate animals and 10 counts of failure to obtain city dog licenses.

She turned herself in at Suffolk Police Headquarters and was expected to be released on the summons, according to information from the SPD. No bond will be required.

Authorities removed 53 dogs and 33 cats from her home after discovering them during a routine search for a reported lost pet.

Police said none of the animals had current rabies vaccines and there were rats scurrying around in the outdoor kennels.

The house was inspected by city authorities and condemned due to the conditions from housing the animals, according to police.

Although unconfirmed by police, published reports claim that some of the confiscated animals had to be destroyed because of their physical conditions.

Source: Suffolk News Herald
Update posted on May 12, 2006 - 9:35AM

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A woman found with 96 dogs and cats at her home was charged today with 10 counts of animal cruelty.

Francine Cochran, 41, was found living with 58 dogs and 38 cats Monday at her house in rural south Suffolk, where her husband and 12-year-old son also lived. The city condemned the home for sanitary reasons, and police took 86 of the animals to a shelter so a veterinarian could examine them.

A majority of the dogs were euthanized becauase of their poor health, said Brandon Wichman, the vet who evaluated the animals.
�They were actually just in horrrendous condition,� he said.

Police are still investigating for possible charges of child neglect, said Susan Walton, the prosecutor handling the case.

Cochran faces up to 12 months in jail for each of the animal cruelty charges, Walton said. An officer from the Suffolk Police animal control division filed the misdemeanor charges after consultation with the Commonwealth�s Attorney�s office.

The police also filed 10 counts of not having updated rabies shots for the cats and 10 counts of not having a license for the dogs, Walton said. Those charges do not carry jail time but can result in fines, she said.

Cochran, who lives along the 3700 block of Carolina Road, said she began bringing stray dogs into her home about a dozen years ago to save them and find new homes for them. The burden of caring for the animals began to overwhelm her six years ago when she was badly injured in an accident, she said.

A team of police officers, animal control officers and firefighters cleared the Cochrans' home of most of its animals Monday after the situation was discovered by an animal control officer�s search for a lost pet in the area. Cochran said she was allowed to keep five dogs and five cats.

Source: WVEC - May 10, 2006
Update posted on May 10, 2006 - 6:59PM

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References

	WAVY - May 8, 2006
	Hampton Roads.com - May 10, 2006
	Daily Press

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Hoarding - 60 dogs, 40 catsSuffolk, VA (US)

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Hoarding - 60 dogs, 40 cats
Suffolk, VA (US)