A woman was arrested after deputies found a child living in a house with over 300 rats roaming freely and her bed covered in roaches.
The Sherriff’s Office was originally called to investigate an animal cruelty complaint at this home. After entering the home, deputies said they were overwhelmed by the smell of ammonia.
They could see several cages and glass aquariums containing snakes and rodents. They also saw rats and cats running freely.
In one of the bedrooms, a ferret was found in a cage that was littered with urine and feces. There was also a dog inside a cage that was much too small. Deputies noted that these animals were deprived of any food or water.
In the second bedroom, they found the child. The bed’s mattress was covered in roaches, and there was trash all over the floor.
“Blood was also observed on the floor created by the loose cats eating a rat,” deputies said.
The third bedroom was where they found 50 rats in cages – this was in addition to the 300 rats that were roaming freely!
“Abuse of any kind should not be tolerated,” Sherriff Mike Prendergast said. “The conditions of this residence and the animals in this case were so bad, Sherriff’s Office personnel were cautioned about making entry. Neither children nor animals should ever endure this type of environment. It is crucial that our citizens report any signs of child or animal neglect.”
Seven cats, one dog and one ferret were removed from the home by animal control officers. They secured the home and the remaining animals will be removed at a later date.
This woman was charged with 12 counts of animal cruelty and one count of child neglect. Her bond was set at $26,000.
