Posted by:
W von Papineäu
at Fri May 14 11:30:08 2010 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by W von Papineäu ]
JOURNAL SENTINEL (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) 13 May 10 Police arrest woman on suspicion of mistreating animals (Ryan Haggerty)
Police and employees of area zoos and animal shelters spent much of Thursday removing some of an estimated 200 exotic animals, including at least 24 boa constrictors and more than 12 crocodiles, from a two-story building on Milwaukee's south side, officials at the scene said.
More animals will be removed from the building Friday, said Craig Berg, curator of reptiles and aquarium at the Milwaukee County Zoo.
A 50-year-old woman who police say lives in the building was arrested on suspicion of mistreating animals and violating regulations regarding endangered or threatened species, a police spokesman said.
The list of animals found in the building at 2323 S. 13th St. includes alligators, snakes, rodents and snapping turtles, officials said.
Dozens of other exotic animals were removed from a house in the 3400 block of S. 17th St. on Wednesday night, after the animals were discovered by police who were executing a search warrant as part of an investigation into a sexual assault complaint, police Sgt. Mark Stanmeyer said.
Almost all the animals in the building on S. 13th St. were found on the ground floor and in the basement, said Jay Christie, president and chief executive of the Racine Zoo, who was called to the building to help identify the animals.
Two turtles were found on the second floor, he said.
Among the animals found in the building were a 6-foot crocodile and an alligator snapping turtle that weighs as much as 150 pounds, Christie said.
Christie, Berg and employees of Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control, the state Department of Natural Resources and other agencies were photographing and trying to identify the animals. Many workers donned respirators or surgical masks before entering the building.
City workers built wooden, coffin-size crates with breathing holes drilled into the sides to transport the largest animals. Smaller animals were being transported in any available container, including clear, plastic storage boxes.
The decomposed bodies of several animals were found in the building, Berg said. Among the living animals, some were in "subpar condition," but most should be able to make a full recovery, Christie said.
The inside of the brick building was a cluttered mess of animal cages and tanks, according to police officers, firefighters and others who had been inside.
Many reptiles were kept in horse troughs filled with foul water, Berg said.
Police officers spotted a 4-foot crocodile loose in the building when they entered, said Richard Kaiser, chief of the Milwaukee Fire Department's fourth battalion.
"I have not seen this many animals or the conditions we encountered in my career, and I've been here 25 years," said Kaiser, who said the inside of the building reeked.
The address on S. 13th St. is listed in several online directories as that of an organization called Cullen Vivarium Wildlife Conservancy.
Dennis Lopez, who lives next door to the building on S. 13th St., said he had no idea he had hundreds of exotic animals for neighbors.
"It's totally shocking," Lopez said, standing among several dozen people watching from across the street as the animals were removed. "From what I've seen come out of there, you wouldn't even believe (the animals) got in there in the first place."
Lopez, 33, said he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary at the building, except for a large number of trucks and vans making deliveries late at night.
The building appears to be vacant when viewed from 13th St. A video camera mounted next to a second-floor window is aimed at the front door.
"It all seemed really normal," Lopez said. "Nothing suspicious."
Police arrest woman on suspicion of mistreating animals
[ Hide Replies ]
- Story from Milwaukee WI - EricWI, Thu May 13 18:52:00 2010
- RE: Story from Milwaukee WI - jscrick, Thu May 13 20:11:49 2010
- RE: Story from Milwaukee WI - EricWI, Thu May 13 21:03:10 2010
- RE: Story from Milwaukee WI - TOM_CRUTCHFIELD, Fri May 14 07:25:12 2010
 WI Press: Police arrest for maltreatment - W von Papineäu, Fri May 14 11:30:08 2010- RE: they should be rich - Calparsoni, Fri May 14 12:14:28 2010
- RE: Story from Milwaukee WI - Snakesunlimited1, Sat May 15 16:27:40 2010
- WI Press: Frozen gator Found In home - W von Papineäu, Tue May 18 09:13:16 2010
- WI Press: Crocodiles, turtle to Racine - W von Papineäu, Wed May 19 06:43:49 2010
- WI Press: Terry Cullen speaks out - W von Papineäu, Wed May 19 10:06:44 2010
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