Is There Something in the Water?
Posted by Desert Diva on Thursday, September 11th, 2008
Once again, Las Cruces has yet another case of animal hoarding. I can’t believe that I wrote about this on August 29th, regarding a case that happened on August 23rd.
LAS CRUCES — The number of animals found Wednesday at an East Mesa home now is said to total about 464, the variety of which is unheard of in any of the county’s recent hoarding cases.
Authorities found dogs, finches, pigeons, ducks, parakeets, sheep, rabbits, cats and other animals on the grounds of the mobile home in the 9300 block of Grandview Street.
In total 19 species were found in and around the home, which sits on 2.8 acres.
The estimate of animals had dropped as low as 210 Thursday. But Dona Ana County animal control supervisor Curtis Childress said the estimate was revised when all the animals were accounted for and a large number of them were removed from the home.
“Typically in hoarding cases you’re going to get a bunch of dogs or cats,” Childress said. “… Typically it’s not the smorgasbord we’re looking at here.”
It’s still not clear why Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx and her husband — whose name was not immediately available — kept so many animals. Childress said there’s some indication some of the animals were used for food.
Animal control officers had removed a large number of animals by Wednesday evening. The homeowners were allowed to keep more than 100 animals, most of them chickens, Childress said. County ordinance allows for up to six domestic animals like cats and dogs. Other animals are classified as livestock. The number of livestock allowed depends on the size of the property and the size of the animals.
Childress said the animals Xxxxxxx and her husband were allowed to keep were healthy and their numbers were in compliance with the ordinance.
Some of the animals removed were taken to the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley, while others were taken by animal rescue groups.
The animals will undergo assessments A preliminary review found a number of the animals, the birds in particular, suffered from a variety of ailments.
“They were in an unhealthy environment,” Childress said. “They were sick or injured. They were missing feet or legs. Some of them had injuries to their eyes or wings. They had deformities and some of them had overgrown beaks.”
The case will be referred to the district attorney’s office for possible charges of animal cruelty.
Source: http://www.lcsun-news.com/news/ci_10437536
What is amazing to me is that how can someone keep so many animals and not have “concerned neighbors?” Totally disgusting!
Filed in Journal | 4 responses so far
That does make one wonder…..I have only been here a little less than two months…but I have met most of my neighbors. I would hope I would notice 400+ animals!
It makes me wonder what in the hell is wrong with people. I just don’t get the ‘why’ behind it.
Truly amazing. My husband had a client who was a pathological hoarder. Not animals, but anything else that managed to find it’s way into his house – boxes, papers, magazines, old computers. To the point where he had a mattress in a corner of the living room and about 6 inches of counter space in the kitchen and that’s how he lived. Turns out it actually is a psychological condition much like fear of heights or any other phobia. Very sad and scary when it involves living creatures.
I cannot stand animal abuse. It kills me.