A Pennsylvania couple is facing numerous charges after authorities discovered they had a teenage boy and 77 loose animals in their filthy home.
On August 14, humane officers and police executed a search warrant at a Westmoreland County home associated with James Chaney, 52, and Kathleen Chaney, 59. The Penn-Trafford Star reported.cited court documents.
Authorities, accompanied by a caseworker from the county Children's Office, found a 14-year-old boy, 46 dogs and 23 cats inside the home, the newspaper said.
There were also five guinea pigs, a chinchilla and a ferret at the scene.
Kathleen Chaney was at work when police filed the warrant and refused to return home, documents said, but she admitted the girl was her and James' son and that she was caring for the animal.
The house smelled strongly of feces, urine and sewage, and the basement and first floor were covered in feces, the report continued, citing a criminal complaint filed last week.
The rooms in the mansion where the death penalty was decided were also clogged with mold and cobwebs, and the smell of ammonia made it difficult for investigators to examine the scene.
“The particular conditions inside the residence were the worst I have experienced in my 15 years as a law enforcement officer and over 20 years as a first responder,” said Penn Township Sgt. Robert Bloom wrote in court papers, according to the Star.
“It is clear that conditions like this have existed within this residence for an extended period of time,” he added.
Authorities were alerted to the scene by neighbor Bill Monstrola. Channel 11 reported.
“It was always a pretty dire situation. In these sub-zero conditions, they would often leave their animals outside,” Monstrola told the magazine.
“Short leash, no water, no bedding,” he lamented.
The house had no running water, Starr noted.
All the dogs and cats were infested with fleas and parasites, and several had severe injuries, infections, overgrown nails and eye ulcers, the Star said.
One dog had a ruptured uterus and the other had a needle in its abdomen, court documents said.
Among the rescued cats, one had to have a tooth extracted due to canker sores, and another had a fractured pelvis that could not be treated.
One of the cats died during surgery after being rescued, Starr added.
In addition to the live animals, authorities found a dog, a bird, a snake and four chickens dead at the scene.
“There were animals in every nook and cranny of the house. There were cages inside and outside, tied up in dog crates,” animal rescuer Jen Johnson told Channel 11 in August.
Months after the attack, five of the rescued dogs and nine rescued cats are still available for adoption, and four more cats are still receiving treatment, the outlet said.
Last week, James and Kathleen were indicted on 22 charges, including endangering the welfare of a child, animal abuse and neglect, the Penn-Trafford Star reported.
They have not yet been arraigned, according to court records.
