Volunteers caring for seized animals
By Lauren Duncan & Kat Russell
The Paducah Sun
March 27, 2015
http://www.paducahsun.com/news/local/032715_PS_animals
One local official described the McCracken County Animal Shelter as looking like Noah's Ark on Thursday.
That may have been an exaggeration, but the shelter was handling a few more species than it typically houses after McCracken County Animal Control seized 181 animals - which included dogs, rabbits, chinchillas, rats, exotic birds and ducks -- from a Reidland home on Wednesday.
Kathy Coleman, director of animal control, said the total included 84 rabbits and more than 60 dogs, mostly miniature pinschers and chihuahuas. Among the 10 birds that were taken are one cockatoo, six parakeets and a few unidentified exotic species.
Animal control officers took the animals from the Merrydale Drive home of Deborah Luken, 54, after obtaining a search warrant for the residence. Coleman said animal control learned there was a large number of animals at the home earlier this month. She said officers visited the home and warned Luken that "conditions were not ideal."
"We gave them a week to make improvements. We didn't ask for it to be perfect but we wanted improvements to be made, a significant improvement," Coleman said.
She said animal control gave Luken three additional days to clean things up after that first week, but the conditions had not been improved.
Coleman said there isn't a limit in Paducah and McCracken County on the number of animals a person can have. In this situation, she said cleanliness as a result of overcrowding was the biggest reason for animal control's intervention.
"This was more of a hoarding situation," she said.
McCracken County Sheriff Jon Hayden said at the request of County Attorney Sam Clymer he has assigned a detective to assist animal control with the investigation. The investigation results will determine whether the county files charges against Luken.
If charges are filed, Hayden said they would fall in the realm of animal cruelty.
"Animal cruelty can encompass a range of situations, anywhere from fighting animals to starving them to death to allowing them to live in extremely unsanitary conditions or not providing them with adequate shelter, food and water," he said.
Clymer said a county ordinance states it is unlawful to deprive animals of necessities, adequate space, proper sanitation, general care or medical attention. There isn't a cap on the number of animals one can have, he said.
"No there's not a bright-line rule on that. A person can have an unlimited amount of animals as long as proper care and treatment is given," Clymer said.
While the investigation is ongoing, animal control officers, the county animal shelter staff and many volunteers were busy Thursday trying to accommodate and inventory the 181 animals. Because they're considered evidence, none of the animals can yet be adopted.
Tammy Caldwell, the shelter director, said the shelter is housing the birds and many of the dogs, but the other animals are being fostered by volunteers.
The shelter received a flood of volunteers willing to foster animals, help with doing laundry and donate needed items. The shelter is still open to donations such as food, bowls and blankets.
"It's been chaotic, but we've got it under control. We've got a lot of volunteers who have helped," Caldwell said.
Caldwell said the phone was ringing off the hook at the shelter with people wanting to help, and Coleman said she received more than 80 calls at animal control. As of Thursday afternoon, there was still a need for some foster homes.
"People have just been marvelous," Coleman said. "We have just been thrilled with the response that we got."
Fifty-five rabbits, seven newborn rabbits, the seven chinchillas and four ducks went to one woman who has adequate space for caring for the animals. The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said the rabbits have genital infections, ear mites, ear infections, big sores, and puss "all over them."
She said five of the rabbits are in "serious condition" and one has already died.
"Some of them look like their noses have been bitten off, their lips have broken off ... you can actually see their spines through their fur," she said.
The woman said she is in need of any items for rabbits or chinchillas, specifically hay, straw, rabbit hutches, rabbit feeders and bowls, and rabbit and chinchilla food. She said she is also in need of antibiotics that can be added to drinking water for the rabbits. Anyone interested in helping can drop off the donations at the county animal shelter.
Another person who volunteered to foster animals is Michelle Fowler, co-owner of Fur Kidz Pet Hotel, Spa and Daycamp in Paducah. Fowler helped animal control transport the animals on Wednesday and is taking in the three rats that were seized, as well as some rabbits and a few of the senior dogs that are older or have special needs, Fowler said.
"The rats, they weren't my favorite, but nobody else wanted to take the poor rats home," she said.
Fowler said she thinks Luken originally had good intentions in housing the animals, but it got out of hand.
"It's another situation where a person got involved for all the right reasons and then just got carried away with it. She loved them, without a doubt, but it's really easy when involved in rescue work to get the mentality 'Well, what's one more?'" she said. "I really think that's what happened."
That may have been an exaggeration, but the shelter was handling a few more species than it typically houses after McCracken County Animal Control seized 181 animals - which included dogs, rabbits, chinchillas, rats, exotic birds and ducks -- from a Reidland home on Wednesday.
Kathy Coleman, director of animal control, said the total included 84 rabbits and more than 60 dogs, mostly miniature pinschers and chihuahuas. Among the 10 birds that were taken are one cockatoo, six parakeets and a few unidentified exotic species.
Animal control officers took the animals from the Merrydale Drive home of Deborah Luken, 54, after obtaining a search warrant for the residence. Coleman said animal control learned there was a large number of animals at the home earlier this month. She said officers visited the home and warned Luken that "conditions were not ideal."
"We gave them a week to make improvements. We didn't ask for it to be perfect but we wanted improvements to be made, a significant improvement," Coleman said.
She said animal control gave Luken three additional days to clean things up after that first week, but the conditions had not been improved.
Coleman said there isn't a limit in Paducah and McCracken County on the number of animals a person can have. In this situation, she said cleanliness as a result of overcrowding was the biggest reason for animal control's intervention.
"This was more of a hoarding situation," she said.
McCracken County Sheriff Jon Hayden said at the request of County Attorney Sam Clymer he has assigned a detective to assist animal control with the investigation. The investigation results will determine whether the county files charges against Luken.
If charges are filed, Hayden said they would fall in the realm of animal cruelty.
"Animal cruelty can encompass a range of situations, anywhere from fighting animals to starving them to death to allowing them to live in extremely unsanitary conditions or not providing them with adequate shelter, food and water," he said.
Clymer said a county ordinance states it is unlawful to deprive animals of necessities, adequate space, proper sanitation, general care or medical attention. There isn't a cap on the number of animals one can have, he said.
"No there's not a bright-line rule on that. A person can have an unlimited amount of animals as long as proper care and treatment is given," Clymer said.
While the investigation is ongoing, animal control officers, the county animal shelter staff and many volunteers were busy Thursday trying to accommodate and inventory the 181 animals. Because they're considered evidence, none of the animals can yet be adopted.
Tammy Caldwell, the shelter director, said the shelter is housing the birds and many of the dogs, but the other animals are being fostered by volunteers.
The shelter received a flood of volunteers willing to foster animals, help with doing laundry and donate needed items. The shelter is still open to donations such as food, bowls and blankets.
"It's been chaotic, but we've got it under control. We've got a lot of volunteers who have helped," Caldwell said.
Caldwell said the phone was ringing off the hook at the shelter with people wanting to help, and Coleman said she received more than 80 calls at animal control. As of Thursday afternoon, there was still a need for some foster homes.
"People have just been marvelous," Coleman said. "We have just been thrilled with the response that we got."
Fifty-five rabbits, seven newborn rabbits, the seven chinchillas and four ducks went to one woman who has adequate space for caring for the animals. The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said the rabbits have genital infections, ear mites, ear infections, big sores, and puss "all over them."
She said five of the rabbits are in "serious condition" and one has already died.
"Some of them look like their noses have been bitten off, their lips have broken off ... you can actually see their spines through their fur," she said.
The woman said she is in need of any items for rabbits or chinchillas, specifically hay, straw, rabbit hutches, rabbit feeders and bowls, and rabbit and chinchilla food. She said she is also in need of antibiotics that can be added to drinking water for the rabbits. Anyone interested in helping can drop off the donations at the county animal shelter.
Another person who volunteered to foster animals is Michelle Fowler, co-owner of Fur Kidz Pet Hotel, Spa and Daycamp in Paducah. Fowler helped animal control transport the animals on Wednesday and is taking in the three rats that were seized, as well as some rabbits and a few of the senior dogs that are older or have special needs, Fowler said.
"The rats, they weren't my favorite, but nobody else wanted to take the poor rats home," she said.
Fowler said she thinks Luken originally had good intentions in housing the animals, but it got out of hand.
"It's another situation where a person got involved for all the right reasons and then just got carried away with it. She loved them, without a doubt, but it's really easy when involved in rescue work to get the mentality 'Well, what's one more?'" she said. "I really think that's what happened."