Hoarding - dogs and cats found in two houses
Valley, AL (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, May 18, 2006
County: Chambers

Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Carolyn Keeton Gunter

A Valley, Ala., woman was charged Thursday with second-degree animal cruelty after 49 animals were discovered at a house in her name. Carolyn Keeton Gunter of 4907 23rd Blvd. was arrested after an investigator with the city's Department of Environmental Services checked on a report of an animal shelter at 3006 55th St. in Valley. "There were feces all over the place," said Frank Montroy, the investigator who made the arrest.

The house on 55th Street, along with Gunter's home and another house in Dahlonega, Ga., are animal-holding sites for All Creatures are Truly Special Inc., a company's whose Web site, www.allcatsinc.org, advertises cats and dogs for adoption and solicits contributions via credit card.

The charges against Gunter stem only from the treatment of the animals at the 55th Street house, where Montroy said he found dead and live rats all over the premises. Upstairs he found a puppy locked in a room, and in another room he found 14 cats. He also said he discovered several dogs kept in makeshift pens made of plywood fencing, four of which had developed "mange-like" conditions that had caused infections in the dogs' eyes. He also said there were several kittens on the property, indicating the cats had been allowed to mate freely.

"When you're running a shelter, you don't let them breed on the property," Montroy said.
The company's Web site pitches the shelter by saying, "We've been providing safe and clean living quarters for hundreds of animals since 1987."

Bond for Gunter was set at $1,000. She had not been charged with any crimes related to the 23rd Boulevard address, where investigators found nine dogs and seven cats, however, Montroy said more charges could still be filed. Authorities have not removed the animals from the Valley houses, but they are being monitored by animal control officers until the city decides where to send them. Montroy said he would be in contact with Georgia authorities regarding the site in Dahlonega.

References

• « AL State Animal Cruelty Map
  « More cases in Chambers County, AL

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