Animal hoarding case costs Oregon county $300,000
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — Once they got them all counted, it turns out that 257 animals were seized from a Cave Junction property in what officials consider the worst case of animal hoarding in Josephine County.
The county has spent nearly $300,000 so far to shelter and care for the animals, the Grants Pass Daily Courier reported.
They include 117 miniature horses, as well as a mix of other animals: full-size horses, miniature donkeys, chickens, a peacock, cattle, dogs, cats, goats and pygmy goats.
Kandi Lucile Crow, 61, has been accused of misdemeanor charges of animal abuse and neglect at her Crow's Magical Miniature Horses. She has not entered a plea and is due in court Nov. 19.
She has surrendered the animals to the county.
Now the county is moving to make the animals available for auction or adoption, or in the case of those owned by other people, to allow them to be reclaimed.
The number of animals is higher than initially reported when they were seized over three days in mid-September.
Public Health Director Diane Hoover said it took time to do an inventory, and a precise count has been a moving target. A horse, chicken and puppy have died, and several miniature horses and puppies have been born.
"The animals were in various states of abuse and neglect," said the county's assistant legal counsel, Leah Harper. "All of the large animals showed physical signs of long-term neglect, including lack of dental care and hoof care, and all had parasites. The dogs were underweight with low muscle mass so their bones protruded, and were ravenously hungry and infested with fleas."
Some small animals are being cared for in volunteer foster homes because the animal shelter in Merlin doesn't have room.
The county hopes to recoup money it's spent, but Chief Financial Officer Rosemary Padgett said that until the county secures liens against Crow's property, the money is coming from the county's general fund.
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Information from: Daily Courier, http://www.thedailycourier.com
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press
So, I work at a Humane Society here in Oregon. For those of you who are spitting out stats on kill rates, please provide where you are getting this information...
The 177 miniature horses will be auctioned off on December 8. There are some nice looking animals there!
The miniatures are worth a bit, you should be able to get your money back. Sorry for the animals.
Sadly, They will kill them all.
 @Fancy Jack There's really no reason to think that since they've been spending a lot of money and caring for them for nearly 2 months.Â
@PleaseBeSmart I do love idealists, my cynicism stems from experience, I suspect that the dogs and cats are already dead.
@jen I am aware of the reality and am also aware of the history, the founders of your philosophy want to use the same principles to relieve the world of black people, believing it was only humane, they went to England refined their message and extended their timeline, the plan is to use animals as the blueprint for relieving the world of those unfit for life, you have embraced this philosophy for animals will you also embrace it for humans? if the arguement was presented right, could you kill them?
@fancy jack Here is a little dose of realism for you. Domestic animals, including cats, cannot and should not have to take care of themselves. Until we as a society come to grips with the concept that pets Are NOT disposible then they are better off dead. I have rescued over 19 cats from my small complex alone from people just leaving them behind since their new place doesn't allow pets. I would rather see those cats humanely euthanized than live the short, brutal and terrifying life of an abandoned or feral cat. Humans domesticated animals, we have a serious responsibility to their care and welfare that is being studiously ignored by a great part of the population.  SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR PETS.
@PleaseBeSmart Average kill rate for every Shelter, including no kill shelters is over 90%, with most having kill rates of 98%. It is math, no theory, I have been studying this for over 10 years. I wanted to see what PETA stood for and it turns out they have the highest kill rates of all groups, 98% The Humane Society kills 90% of all cats and at least 60% of all dogs, These are pet killing groups, I am absolutely positive the the dogs and cats have been killed, the livestock will take longer to dispose of, but they are complaining of the cost and dead animals have limited cost.Â
 @Fancy Jack HAH. There's something I don't think I've ever been called. People tend to claim the opposite, though I try to be a staunch realist. The notion that hundreds of animals have been euthanized, they're just claiming to have spent all these resources as some sort of cover up, and the many employees and volunteers haven't blown the whistle and made a big fuss .. I find highly unlikely. Cynical is one thing, but I think that theory is just unreasonable.Â
Holy Smokes. 177 horses??? I have to work my butt off to care for the 3 that we own! This is just so very sad.:(