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Humane Society of Missouri rescues 101 dogs and cats from hoarding situation

84 dogs and 17 cats were rescued from a waste-filled house and filthy, overcrowded outdoor crates.
Humane Society of Missouri

ST. LOUIS - Over 100 animals were rescued from a property in Bates County by the Humane Society of Missouri's Animal Cruelty Task Force Wednesday night.

84 dogs and 17 cats were rescued from a waste-filled house and filthy, overcrowded outdoor crates.

“These animals were forced to live in truly squalid conditions, the worst I have encountered in more than 40 years of rescuing animals from abuse and neglect,” said Debbie Hill, vice president of operations, Humane Society of Missouri.

A concerned citizen contacted the Humane Society of Missouri and the Bates County Sheriff's Office about living conditions for the animals. Both agencies visited the property but were only allowed to view a few of the animals and were not given access to areas where the animals were living. The Bates County Sheriff's Office issued a warrant to inspect the property

In 2011, more than 50 dogs were rescued from the same property under a warrant obtained by the Bates County Sheriff's Office.

A disposition hearing to determine permanent custody of the animals will be held on Jan. 2, 2018 at the Bates County Court House in Butler.

“With frigid weather coming very soon, it's imperative to bring these suffering animals to warmth and safety immediately,” said Kathy Warnick, president, Humane Society of Missouri. “As is typical in hoarding situations, persons allowed to continue to own animals often continue to collect them. We will provide an extensive report of our findings to the Bates County Prosecutor and recommend prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. The only way to protect animals from these horrific, dangerous conditions in the future is to prevent this person from possessing additional animals.”

Donations to provide for the animals' care may be made at www.hsmo.org or by calling 314-951-1542.

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