Over 100 animals found living in deplorable conditions, at least 40 found dead
- by: Kristy Winfrey
Donna Lee Bell, 59, faces 118 counts of animal cruelty after authorities found over 100 animals--at least 40 were dead--in two homes she owned, but did not live in, to house the animals. She was the owner of the two houses, where she runs "Furry Companions," an animal rescue operation and has found homes for hundreds of animals. Each count carries a possible sentence of 90 days in jail and a one-thousand-dollar fine. According to animal control officers, many carcasses of the animals still had collars around their necks, two feet of feces was found in the kitchen, rats jumped at them as they worked and piles of garbage could be seen on the front porch. "There were flies caked onto the windows and you could see the dogs--their feces and all, were on their paws. They smeared their paw prints all over the windows," said Jeffrey Foard.
Bell was arrested May 15, 2006 and will be seen in court again September 12, 2006.
According to Bob Thomas, a spokesman for the Harford County Sheriff's Office, told the Associated Press that there was evidence some of the animals tried to claw their way through the walls.
"Some have rotted. Some are down to skeletal remains, [where] others frequently passed," Thomas said. The houses are condemned for now.
On May 23, 2006 Bell filed a complaint to the Harford County District Court, alleging that the animals were "unlawfully and wrongly" taken from her home and that she is entitled to "immediate possession" of them. She later drop her complaint, which allowed the animals to become available for adoption.
According to animal control officials, "Some dogs had atrophied muscles, and many were infested with fleas." and "the animals had been kept in cages in Bell's homes for weeks or months."
"there are the emaciated, starving ones who are being placed on a special recipe weight gain diet that increases their weight and strength without belly upset as well those with thicken, raw skin, open sores and itching from which they have had no relief due to flea infestation, [are] now quieted and healing."
According to Arluke et al. there is a high recidivism rate in cases in which all of the animals are abruptly removed. The more desirable strategy would be an improvement in the living situation for the hoarder and other household members, including the animals. This may provide some hope for long-term treatment of the individual.
According to a study done with seventy-one case reports from 28 states and one Canadian province--a history of recidivism was mentioned for 25.3% of hoarders. (Arluke et al., 3)
In the homes of hoarders, it is very common to have reports of appliances not working, especially the shower or or tub, toilets, and sinks. In 93% of the cases mentioned above the residence was rated very unsanitary.
It was also found that in many cases, animal welfare agencies ignored the significant human health concerns but rescued the animals. This does nothing to stop the cycle.
We, the undesigned, respectfully request that Donna Lee Bell be prohibited to have unsupervised ownership of animals for a significant amount of time. We request that she be put on probation and be subject to unannounced visits from animal control personnel and/or police. We request that she be psychologically evaluated and charged with her psychological well being in mind, in addition to the severity of her crime. Hoarders are often mentally ill, although there is not a designated psychological disorder which has this as a symptom. We also request that she be ordered to mandatory counseling at her own expense, if possible. In addition, we request that she be helped in decreasing her isolation, which is common in hoarders. This will hopefully help prevent this from happening again, along with the previously mentioned requests.
We, the undersigned, respectfully request the court contemplate the reccommendations mentioned in this petition.
Bell was arrested May 15, 2006 and will be seen in court again September 12, 2006.
According to Bob Thomas, a spokesman for the Harford County Sheriff's Office, told the Associated Press that there was evidence some of the animals tried to claw their way through the walls.
"Some have rotted. Some are down to skeletal remains, [where] others frequently passed," Thomas said. The houses are condemned for now.
On May 23, 2006 Bell filed a complaint to the Harford County District Court, alleging that the animals were "unlawfully and wrongly" taken from her home and that she is entitled to "immediate possession" of them. She later drop her complaint, which allowed the animals to become available for adoption.
According to animal control officials, "Some dogs had atrophied muscles, and many were infested with fleas." and "the animals had been kept in cages in Bell's homes for weeks or months."
"there are the emaciated, starving ones who are being placed on a special recipe weight gain diet that increases their weight and strength without belly upset as well those with thicken, raw skin, open sores and itching from which they have had no relief due to flea infestation, [are] now quieted and healing."
According to Arluke et al. there is a high recidivism rate in cases in which all of the animals are abruptly removed. The more desirable strategy would be an improvement in the living situation for the hoarder and other household members, including the animals. This may provide some hope for long-term treatment of the individual.
According to a study done with seventy-one case reports from 28 states and one Canadian province--a history of recidivism was mentioned for 25.3% of hoarders. (Arluke et al., 3)
In the homes of hoarders, it is very common to have reports of appliances not working, especially the shower or or tub, toilets, and sinks. In 93% of the cases mentioned above the residence was rated very unsanitary.
It was also found that in many cases, animal welfare agencies ignored the significant human health concerns but rescued the animals. This does nothing to stop the cycle.
We, the undesigned, respectfully request that Donna Lee Bell be prohibited to have unsupervised ownership of animals for a significant amount of time. We request that she be put on probation and be subject to unannounced visits from animal control personnel and/or police. We request that she be psychologically evaluated and charged with her psychological well being in mind, in addition to the severity of her crime. Hoarders are often mentally ill, although there is not a designated psychological disorder which has this as a symptom. We also request that she be ordered to mandatory counseling at her own expense, if possible. In addition, we request that she be helped in decreasing her isolation, which is common in hoarders. This will hopefully help prevent this from happening again, along with the previously mentioned requests.
We, the undersigned, respectfully request the court contemplate the reccommendations mentioned in this petition.
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