Humane officers on Nov. 7 seized 68 animals, including 45 cats, seven guinea pigs, six rabbits, three dogs and one bird, from a house in a neighborhood northeast of Dorothy Lane and Dixie Drive after concerns were raised about unsanitary and unsafe conditions, according to the humane society.
The homeowner was able to clean the house and was sentenced Nov. 18 in Kettering Municipal Court to up to five years of probation with strict conditions after pleading guilty to one misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals, court records show.
The woman will not be able to have any animals except the three dogs that were returned as part of the plea agreement, and the dogs will be inspected regularly. She also must undergo a mental health evaluation and comply with recommendations, according to court documents.
The woman also reimbursed more than $8,300 to the humane society for veterinary fees incurred while taking care of the animals, the humane society said.
All of the rescued animals, except the three dogs, were surrendered to the humane society, where they are receiving medical attention and will be available for adoption.
The humane society encourages people to report any concerns about animal welfare. Often, animal hoarding starts with good intentions, the humane society said, but can quickly overwhelm caregivers and spiral into harmful conditions for people and animals.
Report animal abuse or neglect in Montgomery County at the Humane Society of Greater Dayton at www.hsdayton.org/report.
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