Authorities in upstate New York rescued more than 150 animals from a property where many of them were confined to a small garage.
An animal welfare staffer went to the Cheektowaga property on December 14 to do a check on a dog on the property when the staffer “heard noises and detected foul odors coming from the garage at the property,” according to a press release from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) serving Erie County.
After obtaining a search warrant, officers found 138 animals crammed in a 20′ by 20′ garage, the SPCA press release said, including 117 chickens, 18 ducks, 2 goats, and a pig. Many of the chickens were crammed in small makeshift pens that were “packed with feces” about “six inches deep.”
Also found on the property were 15 rabbits, 2 dogs, and a cat, along with several dead animals and “body parts from deceased chickens,” the press release said. The rescued animals were taken to an SPCA location in West Seneca, where they were washed, fed, and examined by veterinarians.
“In just 24 hours, seeing a total transformation of the fowl from filth and distress to clean, comfortable, and happy is most rewarding, and why we do this job every day,” SPCA Chief Investigator Lindsey Wood said in the press release. “Our team worked together well into the night and started all over again today to ensure these animals are shown the proper respect and care they were not given previously.”
Karissa Schmidt, the property owner, is now facing animal cruelty charges, according to local CBS affiliate, WIVB.
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