The Portage Animal Protective League on June 26 rescued almost 200 animals, many of them in need of medical care, from one property in Portage County.
APL Executive Director Chalan Lowry declined to identify where the animals had been living to preserve the privacy of the property owner’s neighbors.
Among the 187 animals were four horses, a donkey, five mini horses, two sheep, two cows, four goats, nine turtles, five parakeets, two cockatiels, 12 finches, five parrots, a peacock, one iguana, one tegu, two pigeons, 16 rabbits, a duck, two guinea pigs, two geese, 16 chickens, 55 baby chickens, two tortoises, three turkeys, 16 cats, five dogs and 11 pigs.
Far from being a home petting zoo, Lowry said the animals may have been living in an out-of-control hoarding situation.
“All the animals were living in unsanitary, filthy conditions without appropriate food,” Lowry said. “Many animals were visibly underweight, and some were obviously suffering from injuries and illness.”
The APL received a morning phone call about neglected animals on the property and had a humane agent assessing the situation by noon on June 26, Lowry said. When the property owner surrendered the animals, APL staff immediately began removing them. That task took until close to midnight, she said.
One calf was so malnourished that it was unable to stand, and the cats, dogs, bunnies, birds and guinea pigs inside the home had neither food nor water. The floors of the home were covered in waste, and some of the caged animals were sitting in waste, looking at empty food bowls, she said.
Desperate for food, skeletal horses and goats had stripped the bark off paddock trees, Lowry said.
“Animals will do that anyway, but because of the absolute lack of food we assume they were trying to get nourishment,” she said.
Knowing one organization could not possibly absorb all the animals, Lowry said she and other APL staff worked the phones to find animal transport vehicles and new homes.
“Thank you to Herps Alive, FOCUS Rescue, Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary, Rescue Village, Maggie’s Mission, Parrot Hope Rescue, and Whispering Acres. It really does take a village,” Lowry said.
The Herps Alive Foundation is located in South Euclid, FOCUS Rescue & Rehabilitation is in Mogadore, Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary is in Ravenna, Maggie’s Mission Dog & Horse Rescue and Whispering Acres Farm Animal Sanctuary are in Medina, Rescue Village is in Novelty, and Parrot Hope Rescue is in Mantua.
Lowry said a few of the turtles did not survive the first few days, but all the surviving animals are receiving needed medical care. Anticipating “extraordinary” vet bills, Lowry said the APL welcomes donations and supplies.
Portage APL, a registered nonprofit, is the only county humane society empowered to investigate and prosecute suspected animal abuse in Portage County. As the APL continues to investigate this matter, Lowry did not rule out possible criminal charges against the property owner.
“A lot of these animals were in poor condition and didn’t have appropriate food and the things that they’re required to have, but with this many animals it can take some time to put together all the information and get the animals veterinary care and have an evaluation. There’s a lot of work to be done,” she said.
Anyone wishing to donate online may do so by visiting portageapl.org/donate. A supplies list is also on a drop menu at portageapl.org.
FOCUS Rescue, which accepted a large number of fowl, two horses and a donkey, put out a plea on Facebook for help. According to its Saturday post, the nonprofit is in need of sawdust, good alfalfa hay, good second or third cutting hay (last year’s is fine), Tribute KFinish, Purina Outlast, Ulcer Guard, fly masks, fly spray and gift cards to Big Dee’s Tack & Vet Supplies or Tractor Supply Co.
FOCUS Rescue accepts PayPal via [email protected] and Venmo via @focusrescueandrehab. Donations will also reach the rescue via USPS: Focus Rescue and Rehab, 645 Manning Rd., Mogadore, OH 44260.
If anyone is thinking of adopting or fostering one of the APL’s cats or dogs, now is the time to step up, Lowry said, as doing so would free up space for the June 26 rescues.
Most of all, Lowry asked all people not to wait if they believe an animal is in an unsafe situation.
“We need people to report cruelty and neglect and abandonment if they are worried about it. We’re lucky that these animals are not in worse condition, but they could have been. If people knew this was happening before, it would have been better if they would have said something sooner,” Lowry said.
Also, if animal owners feel like they need help, Lowry said they should not hesitate to ask.
“If you’re overwhelmed and don’t have enough to care for your animals, ask for help,” she said. “The APL will be there.”
Wendy DiAlesandro is a former Record Publishing Co. reporter and contributing writer for The Portager.