BELFAST, Maine — Community members are holding a dog food drive to help out the animal shelter now caring for eight dogs taken last week by state officials from a crowded Morrill mobile home. A veterinarian adopted a ninth dog from the residence.
“The living conditions were not appropriate for that many people and dogs,” Carrie Koskela of the Lincoln County Animal Shelter in Edgecomb said Friday morning. “We took in a plethora of animals.”
She said that the animals were in “fairly good condition” but were living in a home with too many animals and people.
Altogether, 19 dogs and four people were living in the home, which was occupied by members of a family that suffered a trailer fire at the end of December, she said. The family had been the subject of a petition earlier this year by neighbors concerned about the number of animals living there.
At the time of the fire, Becky Nibby, Pamela Nibby, Eleanor Hartshorn and Betsey LeSan, who are all related, were able to escape. However, a dog, two cats, a macaw, two rabbits, two ferrets and four chinchillas perished in the blaze.
Joanne Carl of Brooks started the change.org petition to create a law against animal hoarding, which garnered hundreds of signatures.
“I would like to talk about animal hoarding and how a devastating fire, locally, has brought to light a severe issue,” she told the BDN earlier this year. “You neglect an animal, it’s a form of abuse.”
Carl said Friday that she is pleased that some of the dogs have been removed from the home.
“I love animals and feel that I’m a voice for them, because they don’t have a voice,” she said.
A spokesperson for the Maine Animal Welfare Program confirmed Friday that it’s an open case and that the family has been working with the state to resolve the issue.
Maine has no laws against hoarding, or having many animals. But there are laws against neglecting or abusing animals, officials from the program told the BDN earlier this year. The laws aim to ensure animals are kept in humane, clean conditions, with enough food and veterinary care.
Carl, who is helping organize the dog food drive, said that all money and donations received will go to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter.
That will help, Koskela said. Her facility has 26 cages but 32 dogs right now and also is “overflowing” with cats.
“Any donations — whether it’s time, money, food, toys, anything that could help out is greatly appreciated,” she said. “Adoptions are always awesome, too. If anyone’s looking for a furry friend, come and check us out.”
She said that she and others assisted the state agent in the dog recovery in Morrill, and described the animals as being in “fairly good condition.”
One dog was adopted by a local veterinarian, eight dogs came to her shelter and four more will potentially be arriving there later this week. Koskela said that the family members at the home were cooperative with state officials and were saying goodbye to their dogs.
“These guys are in pretty good shape, and were fairly well-loved,” she said.
The dog food drive will take place 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, in Reny’s Plaza in Belfast.
So who decides how many pets one can have in their home? What is appropriate. It has been stated that these animals were in good shape. What kind of condition was the home in? Was it clean or feces filled?
It is my contention that if I choose to have a hundred pets in my home it is no one’s business as long as those animals are fed well, cleaned up after and receive proper health care.
please understand some have been involved with this case and the animals are not in good condition. A local vet has one that had to be carried from the home for she has mats and sores all over her. A tack was found in her mats when she was shaved. She has sore all over her from fleas so bad and the smell of her skin was horrible. Thats just one of them there are others that were infested with fleas and no hair on them. 22 dogs… A puppy dies from parvo cause they could not provide vet care. House under quarentine forten days most animals had no vet care and the vet care alot of it was funded by the state and other organizations including the town where they live. Family borrowing money to comply with the state which some were surrendered cause they could not comply. Ring worm in all the dogs. please before you comment on this situation please feel free to look at my facebook at the pony i rescued. I so beleive people have rights to do what they want in their homes but can it be at the expense of an innocent creature. There is no question that they loved their pets but when your pets are suffering from somethings you cannot provide for then just maybe you need to rethink how many you have. Also the dog that is at the vets is so underweight she could hardly stand. I have compassion for people but when it comes to an innocent creature that is being neglected thats a problem to me. This has been going on for ten months. Cages in the home on top of each other, dogs tied out twenty four seven with no water or food. several neighbors have witnessed sick animals crawling to their homes for help. A neighbor took a cat to the vets and now has it in her custody. Lies and more lies over and over again. Dogs being brought to vets under different names but being brought by the person that has 22 dogs and counting. please please understand this is not a witch hunt this is a plea for these animals.
These animals were not in good condition. The state should have taken all of the animals not just 9 of them – they should have removed all of them after the fire at the beginning of the year. It took a puppy dying of parvo in the “home” to get the 9 dogs out of there…there are still many more that need help in this home. These folks are not able to financially and physically care of their animals and will most likely try to get more to fill the void.
you are so right marion . Someone dropped the ball on this for they were put under conditions to comply in February and according to the first news article it states only four dogs in shelter but there were 20 dogs in a car outside when alot of them went to shelter which just to say the town paid for their stay. Then they got them back all of them except one dog for he was in bad shape. Now that a puppy has died and alot of new complaints have come in the family has been talked into surrendering these animals which in this instance means they cannot be charged with neglect for the animals were surrendered which also means they can get more animals for they have not been charged and no judge will sign an order for no pets in this home. Can you see a problem with this I sure can….. So whom is responsible to check on this situation the aco officer yeah right or the state? I really would like to know for there are only four angents for the whole state so obviously they do not have the resources to take a chance with this family for this will never end unless they are charged and court ordered. So to analize the situation is that the state is not equipped to handle this so us average citizens will have to keep an eye out and report anything we see so we can be told its an open investigation and to keep our mouths shut. Shut for what really investigate what you not following thru at the expense of these animals that you take an oath to protect sorry no way. I so agree with you marion they will replace them with all the free animals in the uncle henries or craig list. We have eye and we will watch it maybe from afar but we will watch.