Investigators still searching former dog rescue site

[momcat]

How totally disgusting is that? While my heart breaks for those poor, neglected, abused animals one thing really concerns me... the 8 year old who lived there. What did he see? What was he told by his mom about the conditions and the animals? How will all of this effect him especially his attitude on how animals should be treated and cared for?

This (insert your own expletive) deserves the maximum sentence the law allows... and then some! As for the kid, here's hoping Dad can help him through and learn to respect all living creatures.

Play hard at the Rainbow Bridge, puppies

[Twisterdog]

5 to 10 TONS of waste? Seriously??

I have NO idea how long it takes to accumulate 5 to 10 TONS of dog waste, but I know it is a LONG time. I own a 25 run boarding kennel and a grooming shop. I have seven dogs of my own, and I always have somewhere between 1 and 10 rescue or foster dogs. I've done this for fifteen years, and I bet there has been no where NEAR 5 to 10 tons of dog poo generated here in a decade and a half.

To imply that this was recently a nice place, well-monitored by authorities ... I don't buy it. It takes a long time to come up with 20,000 pounds of dog poo!

[cassiesmom]

Just one last thought. The shelter from which I adopted Cassie has many people helping out. They have a paid shelter director and a couple of part-time people who oversee donations of supplies and financial contributions, mailings, the cats' vet appointments, events, that sort of thing. The shelter director reports to the board of directors, who are all volunteers. They really work well together, the board and the director. There are a bunch of volunteers who do everything from feeding the cats and washing and refilling water dishes, to playing with them, giving them petting and hugs and love, keeping the shelter floors and walls clean, helping to socialize shy cats, taking care of the cats' ongoing health care needs. Even the building itself, making sure the sidewalk is swept or shoveled, washing windows, putting the trash out. It takes many people to make the place go. From what I've read on PT, there are a LOT of other good organizations set up like this, that are doing right on behalf of animals.

I think this woman had good intentions but she couldn't do it on her own. She quickly got in over her head and things went from bad to worse. I also think she might have been an animal hoarder.

[Medusa]

I've grown so weary of this type of thing happening over and over again. It's one thing to become overwhelmed. It's quite another to allow animals to starve and die right next to their food dish. That's cruelty. And for up to 10 tons of feces to pile up, Twisterdog is right; that takes years. The authorities and the powers that be are just as accountable as this woman, perhaps even the neighbors are as well. Don't tell me that no strong odor was coming from that place. If just one litterbox in my basement has a recent deposit in it, the odor can be overwhelming. The people who try so hard to save animals from this type of neglect, abuse and cruelty I'm sorry to say will probably never win. There will always be people who makes excuses for the perpetrators and it's the animals who will continue to suffer needlessly. It's a shame and it's a crime and the people responsible should be punished to the fullest extent of the law without apology or regret.

[momcat]

Hi Elyse, Any updates or new developments (like the "owners" fell into a huge sinkhole and can't get out)?

[cassiesmom]

Hi Elyse, Any updates or new developments (like the "owners" fell into a huge sinkhole and can't get out)?

Here's the latest. I hope they throw the book at her (although it'll only be a small paperback) for the cruelty she inflicted on her child and on these animals. I also hope the Illinois Department of Agriculture (which licenses shelters) looks at the situation and makes changes -- see the Daily Herald editorial up above.

What makes me sad about this is that there are well-run shelters around here doing good work on behalf of homeless pets, and volunteer organizations that make pet therapy visits to hospitals and nursing homes, and organizations that will help ill or elderly people care for their pets (like AIDS patients who shouldn't clean cat litter pans so as not to get toxoplasmosis). And this story casts a bad light on all of them.

Thank you, Momcat for reminding me to look!
elyse

http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/317...p-charges.html

[momcat]

They shouldn't just throw the book at her, throw the entire law library!!!!! After reading your update, this (insert your own expletives) deserves nothing less than the maximum allowed under the law and then some

We had an abuse case here a few winters back. Some woman who was trying to pass herself off as a human being abandoned a cat in the woods on one of the coldest nights of the year. She was caught, arrested, and stood trial. Not only was she found guilty, the judge sentenced her to spend the night in the woods (on another very cold night) just like the poor cat. She was taken out there by the State Police and they stood guard all night to make sure she served the entire sentence. Way to go, Judge!!!