26 animals seized from Poplar Bluff home

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Twenty-six animals were seized from a home at 109 Lexington Thursday after authorities were alerted to concerns about the health of people and animals living there. The residents were not home at the time.

Animals in the home included 12 live puppies, three dead puppies, six adult dogs and five cats. One puppy was found in the compressor area of the refrigerator. Animal control officer Mark Hastings said officers believe all the unweaned puppies belong to the same female dog.

"This has been an ongoing situation at that house," Hastings said, adding he's been to the property three or four times in his eight years at animal control. Animals were voluntarily surrendered at the property previously, but this was the first visit resulting in a seizure of animals.

An elderly couple resided in the home. When one of the residents was admitted to an area hospital, her condition led hospital personnel to contact the Division of Health and Senior Services.

"The nature of her physical condition and medical needs made the hospital personnel question her living conditions," said Deputy Police Chief Jeff Rolland.

DHSS then contacted the police department and animal control.

"Our animal control officers had been trying to track these people down for awhile," Rolland said. "We were investigating prior complaints but had no idea it was to that level because we'd never been in the residence."

When officers arrived on scene Thursday morning, according to Rolland, conditions were bad enough they were able to enter the residence without a search warrant. Code enforcement, city building inspectors and the Butler County Health Department also responded to the scene, and workers from municipal utilities cut power to the home due to concerns of a fire hazard. Because the air in the home was so bad, firemen who searched it were forced to wear air tanks to breathe.

"We want to make sure that we are not overlooking anything," Rolland said. "Because of the condition of the home and the stench it is hard to remain inside."

The condition of the animals varied, according to Hastings. Although they hadn't been examined by a veterinarian, he said the cats seemed to be healthy. Some of the dogs weren't well socialized, but they appeared to be well fed.

"It looked like they weren't starved or anything but while we were there I never did find any kind of water for them," Hastings said. "They were a little on the dehydrated side."

The animals will be housed at the animal control shelter until further arrangements can be made, Hastings said.

"A couple of them may be adoptable," he added. "We have to get with the owner and see his intentions and the family members' intentions."

Rolland said this isn't the first incident like this he's witnessed.

"Unfortunately it happens," he said. "Every couple of years we deal with something of this level."

For the residents of the property, Rolland said the department would be "determining if there is any mental illness with this case because quite frequently that is the underlying factor."

"It's a disorder just like hoarding, when people take on the responsibility for more animals than they can care for," he added.

Police chief Danny Whiteley said the landlord is familiar to police.

Rolland said instances of poor living conditions are frustrating because officers don't know about them unless a resident brings it to their attention. He added having to condemn properties places a burden on the city to come up with the funding to tear it down.

"What really upsets me is the fact that these particular landlords take advantage of people in Poplar Bluff like they do," Whiteley said. "They have circumvented our efforts at numerous points in time and this time I think we're going to step up our efforts."

According to city ordinance No. 7165, section 7-100, each household is restricted to owning six pets, excluding litters of kittens and puppies that have not yet reached "sufficient maturity." The penalty for a first offense is a $30 fine and after the fourth offense a pet owner must appear before the municipal court judge, who can order the removal of the animal.

Pertinent address:

Poplar Bluff, MO