Major animal hoarding case just down the road from work....

[chickenlittle]

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/ ... 12364.html

They've seized 375 - 400 animals (still a few they're trying to catch, by what I understand) from a hoarder just down the road from my clinic Last I heard, approximately 100 of those were rats and guinea pigs that the woman was breeding, with the rest being dogs, cats, goats, horses, llamas, ducks, chicken, parrots, and some other stuff. Insane.

A few people from work went over there last night (a doctor and a few techs) to help out. It sounds like the state vet and the national humane society disaster team (which was called in) have the logistics mostly under control, but I'm sure they need manpower. I'm waiting to hear from my coworkers on whether the help is needed or not, but if so I'll be out there tomorrow and Monday.

How can people be so sick?

Apparently one of my coworkers (who's very involved in the local humane society) has seen this lady selling puppies on the side of the road and at flea markets for years. So her whole "rescue" front isn't gonna work... she may have started that way, but now she's just another puppy mill.

ETA: "According to Animal Services, the final count included 160 large and small dogs, 40 cats, 100 rodents, 65 fowl and exotic birds and 10 livestock including horses, ponies, a llama and goats."

[razzy]

Wow. Was she neglecting the animals, or does the state just think she has too many?

[chickenlittle]

Apparently they're all in really bad shape. A lot of malnourishment, heavy parasite infestations, lots of infectious disease, several dead animals found in the home and on the property, etc. Oh, and what I don't know if the article mentions is that a lot of these animals were kept indoors... IN A TRAILER. I'm pretty sure it was a SINGLEWIDE TRAILER. How do you fit that many animals AND a human family in a singlewide trailer??? I'm just astounded....

[razzy]

That's really sad and heartwrenching. When I go to the shelter, I want to take all the animals home with me, but then I'd probably end up like that crazy lady with 400 animals.

I know a lady here who used to be a dog groomer and has 13 dogs. Anytime she sees a stray, she just can't walk away from it. But she has 5 acres of land and two grown sons living with her who help out. I still think it's a LOT of dogs.

[chickenlittle]

Some of my coworkers (one doctor and several techs) are, in my mind, bordering on having too many animals. The one doctor, for example, has 10-12 horses, 13 cats, and 8-10 dogs. But her sister and boyfriend live with her and help her with them, and all of the animals are well cared for. Still... I just could never do that. Once you get to the point where you're treating them as a "herd" instead of giving them individual attention, I think they start missing out.

[starlight]

Crazy! Those poor animals.

[Beana]

I'll stick with my one cat, thanks.

OMG that's alotta animals. And in a single wide trailer! Geez!

[Crystal Meth]

Where do you even get a llama?

[aly]

Where do you even get a llama?

Here sweetie:

http://www.llama.org/

Put a llama in your life!

[Crystal Meth]

Thank you! I was looking for something to guard sheep and other livestock...

[aly]

Now I am singing, "Put a little llama in your life!"

Did you know llamas are affordable, fun, can pull a cart, go on a short walk or a long-trek, can be used as an investment vehicle, are easy to care for, are displayed at shows throughout the US, are great with kids, can guard sheep and other livestock and that their colorful fleece can be woven into durable, luxurious garments?

There's an alpaca and llama ad in every farm magazine my mom gets. I look at them in her bathroom. They all talk about "getting that wonderful fiber animal" and I'm like, "Yeah, I have so much time to care for a flippin' llama and then weave myself a coat of many colors!"

[kayley]

I know Beverly really wants a goat. Perhaps a llama would fit well in her fine family! It would keep itself warm in the winter!

Bev?

[kayley]

I have so much time to care for a flippin' llama and then weave myself a coat of many colors!

tagline?

[Sílvia]

Oh, so this is where it came from!

Hm... good with kids? Maybe we should get one... to live right next to the recently bought highchair in our enormous apartment.

[Crystal Meth]

Oh Aly, any dream will do...

[Sunrunner]

I didn't see this over the weekend. We were just sitting around talking about how one of the deputy's kids want to get a goat...

[Beverly]

Yeah, I could take a llama ... the weaving is right out, though!