Dozens of animals found in ‘deplorable’ South Union Township trailer
Dozens of animals were removed from a South Union Township trailer Monday afternoon that officials said was filled with feces and cockroaches.
Code enforcement officer Lee England said the residents of the 30 Shellie St. property would be cited for unsanitary conditions and exceeding the maximum number of animals allowed at a property. South Union Township allows four large animals, such as dogs and cats, to live at one property.
The property did not have electricity. He said a rabbit was found dead in a cage.
England said he found buckets and boxes of feces in the property and “more cockroaches than I even want to talk about.”
Many of the animals appeared to be suffering from respiratory tract infections, he said.
A neighbor notified him about the animals when he returned to check on the property for code violations he issued earlier in the month.
Humane society officer Samantha Matthews said the animals would be taken to Angels of Mercy Animal Rescue in Uniontown for care. She said the society would be accepting donations for veterinary care.
The animals included more than 20 cats, five dogs, six birds, including two macaws, and a bearded dragon, she said.
Tasha Evans, who owns the property, said she had a rent-to-own agreement with the tenants, who moved in last July. She said the tenants would have owned the property after making one more rent payment.
She said she previously lived at the property with her children and paid about $20,000 to refurbish the trailer with settlement money after her husband, who served in the U.S. Army, died.
“It just breaks my heart because I bought it originally out of my hard-earned money,” she said.