Hoarding approximately 90 animals
Buford, GA (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Jun 28, 2006
County: Gwinnett
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 4 files available
Alleged: Dora L. Russell
For the second time in five years, a Buford area woman has been charged with cruelty to dozens of animals, police said.
With the assistance of the state Division of Public Health, Gwinnett County police removed about 90 animals from the home of Dora L. Russell on the morning of June 28. Investigators said the living conditions were deplorable and the odor could be smelled from the street, according to Gwinnett County police spokesman Cpl. Darren Moloney. Some of the investigators required respirators to enter the house.
Russell, 43, was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals. Her house has been condemned.
"We feel that the medical issues of the house cause a danger to whoever's inside and the community," Moloney said.
Moloney said authorities found about 17 dogs, three cats, 21 birds and 50 field mice. The mice were released into a field. The dogs are at the county's animal control facility; the cats and birds were taken to another facility. He said the dogs and cats are expected to survive, but the birds' conditions were less certain. Moloney said he believed no animals were found dead at the house.
Police are investigating whether Russell was working with an animal rescue group.
"There's a big difference between licensed rescues and these folks that just hoard animals," said Sam Shelton, director of Furkids Animal Rescue in Gwinnett County. "It's a bad situation all the way around, especially now with animal controls that are just so overpopulated right now to keep dealing with the hoarding situations."
Russell was released on bond on June 29.
In 2002, she was arrested and received 93 citations of animal cruelty when approximately 200 animals were removed from her house. References« GA State Animal Cruelty Map
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