Sarah Doiron and Anita Baffoni
4 days ago
TIVERTON, RI (WPRI) — The Tiverton woman who lived in the home where nearly three dozen dogs they were found living in misery He will eventually face charges on Wednesday, according to the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA).
The RISPCA said animal control officers removed 34 dogs and two cats from a Roseland Terrace home after receiving a report that the animals were living in “dangerous conditions.”
The vast majority of the dogs were locked in cages, according to RISPCA, while some roamed freely throughout the home.
“It was an excess capacity hoarding situation,” said RISPCA President Wayne Kezirian.
RISPCA believes the dogs, which vary in size and breed, were illegally imported to be sold. The owner initially told officers that she was raising the dogs for a rescue in Texas. It was later discovered that she did not have a license to perform a salvage at her home, which, according to RISPCA, was in deplorable condition.
In a post on the Facebook page of his rescue.the woman claimed that she “…carelessly missed license renewals, resulting in our license being revoked.”
“I take full responsibility for this,” he wrote. “There is no other reason for this other than procrastination and being completely overwhelmed with the daily responsibilities of caring for the dogs in our care.”
The woman explained that the dogs were being cared for and not sold, adding that her rescue is not for profit.
“I am not going to make excuses for why things escalated the way they did. The fact is that I took in more dogs than we had room for…with the expectation that we would soon find a forever home for them,” she said. “We were aware that our circumstances were quickly becoming overwhelming and we were trying to make things right. These dogs are our number one priority.”
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While that may be true, Kezirian said he doesn’t think so.
“Several of the dogs have wounds and sores that have not been treated,” Kezirian said. “Good intentions are not an excuse for animal cruelty.”
The discovery of the dogs came a few days later. about 30 animals were rescued of a house in Warwick. Those animals were found after two large dogs were seen roaming the neighborhood. The dogs, believed to be wolf hybrids, have since been moved to a sanctuary in ohioand two residents have been charged with intentionally leaving them loose.
12 News also learned that RISPCA removed 43 animals (20 dogs, 20 cats, one rabbit and two guinea pigs) from a Central Falls home earlier this week. That house, according to the RISPCA, belongs to a relative of Warwick residents.
RISPCA is working around the clock to care for the dogs and prepare them to be fostered or adopted. Since RISPCA has been overwhelmed by recent rescues, it relies on other shelters to house some of the dogs, including The Potter League for Animals.
Todd Cramer of the Potter League told 12 News that the shelter has taken in five dogs from the Tiverton home.
“Luckily we got them in time,” Cramer said. “Now they can move on to healthy, happy homes.”
The woman and two other residents were evicted from the home after it was deemed uninhabitable.
“Immediate steps are being taken to repair the damage to the residence from the wear and tear of being a rescue,” the woman wrote. “We hope that by making the necessary changes, that [the dogs] everyone will be allowed to return with us.”
Anyone interested in fostering one or more of the dogs under RISPCA care may Submit a request online.