A Pennsylvania couple faces a slew of charges after authorities found a teenager and a staggering 77 neglected animals living in their filthy home.
Humane agents and police executed a search warrant at a Westmoreland County home linked to James Chaney, 52, and Kathleen Chaney, 59, on Aug. 14, the Penn-Trafford Star reported, citing court documents.
Authorities, who were accompanied by a caseworker from the county children’s office, found a 14-year-old boy in the home along with 46 dogs and 23 cats, the outlet said.
Five guinea pigs, a chinchilla and a ferret were also at the scene.
Kathleen Chaney was at work when police served the warrant and refused to return home, according to the documents, although she admitted that the teen was her and James’ son and that they were animal carers.
There were overpowering odors of feces, urine and sewage coming from the home, and feces covered the basement and first floors, the report continued, citing the criminal complaint filed last week.
Authorities found a teenager and 77 animals languishing in the dilapidated house filled with sewage. WPXI
Rooms in the since-condemned residence were also covered in mold and cobwebs, and the smell of ammonia made it difficult for investigators to inspect the property.
“The specific conditions inside the residence were the worst I have experienced in my 15 years as a law enforcement officer and more than 20 years as a first responder,” said Penn Township Sgt. Robert Broome wrote in court documents, according to the Star.
“It is clear that these conditions have been maintained at the residence for a long period of time,” he added.
The inside of the house was stained with feces and other dirt, and the house had no running water. WPXI
Authorities were alerted to the scene by neighbor Bill Monstrola, Channel 11 reported.
“They have always been quite deplorable conditions. Many times they left the animals they had outside, in these types of circumstances with the weather below zero,” Monstrola told the outlet.
“Short leashes, no water, no bedding,” he lamented.
There were more than 40 dogs on the property. WPXI
The house had no running water, the Star noted.
All of the dogs and cats had fleas and worms, and several had serious injuries, infections, overgrown nails and eye ulcers, among other conditions, the Star reported.
One dog had a ruptured uterus, while another had a needle stuck in its stomach area, according to court documents.
Some of the rescued cats had to have their teeth extracted due to stomatitis, and another had a broken pelvis that did not heal properly due to lack of treatment.
Some of the abandoned cats had to have their teeth extracted. WPXI
One of the cats died in the operating room after the rescue, the Star added.
In addition to the live animals, authorities also found a dog, a bird, a snake and four chickens dead at the scene.
“There were animals in every corner of the house. Cages inside, outside, tied to dog crates,” animal rescuer Jen Johnson told Channel 11 in August.
The home was condemned after authorities served a search warrant in August. WPXI
A few months after the raid, five of the rescued dogs and nine cats are still available for adoption, while four other cats are still receiving medical treatment, the outlet said.
Last week, James and Kathleen were charged with 22 counts, including endangering the welfare of children and animal abuse and neglect, the Penn-Trafford Star said.
They have not been prosecuted, according to court records.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn