GREENFIELD, Ind. -- A Hancock County woman has been charged with animal neglect after officers found nearly three dozen dogs, cats and horses living in deplorable conditions.
Deputies were initially to the home in the 6100 block of N 400 E in Greenfield on July 10 after a neighbor complained that the family had 14 dogs. When the owner refused to let them inside they returned the next day with a search warrant.
According to court documents filed against Carole Pope, deputies found 12 large dogs in the livingroom of the home, some confined to cages and others separated by pieces of crate and laying on floors covered in “hair, dirt and general filth.”
A total of 12 English mastiffs, four horses, 10 cats and six kittens were removed from the home.
The 50-year-old told deputies that only five of the dogs belonged to her and the others she was keeping to “breed.”
Court documents with statements from two deputies and the director of Greenfield Hancock Animal Management paint pictures of the home, which is described as being “covered in trash” with only small paths to walk through. Deputies also said there was a “very foul odor” inside the residence that they could not identify.
In the backyard, deputies found 9 adult cats in a cage covered with a tarp and several kittens running around. Deputies said many of the cats appeared to have “sores and oozing eyes.” The cats did have a water bowl, but the water was green and it was growing mold.
Deputies also found a raccoon in a trap in the back yard that had been out in the rain. They released the raccoon into a back field.
There were four horses on short tie-outs and standing in “rain, mud and feces.” The horses had no shelter or access to food, water or somewhere to graze.
Amanda Dehoney, Director of Greenfield Hancock Animal Management said the horses appeared healthy except for some broken hooves that needed to be trimmed.
While re-checking the home, deputies found a mother cat and three tiny kittens that appeared to be very sick with “green goop running from their eyes,” in the corner of the kitchen.
Dehoney said one of the cats had to be euthanized because of the serious injuries to its legs. A second cat is being treated for a long-time infection in its mouth.
A Board of Health inspector declared the house uninhabitable.
Pope is currently charged with neglect of an animal.
The situation remains under investigation by the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department.
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