112 animals ‘living in filth’ rescued from Milwaukee home
Dec 14, 2022, 2:46 PM
More than 100 animals living in what animal control officers described as "filth" were rescued from a north side Milwaukee duplex. (WISN, CNN)
(WISN, CNN)
MILWAUKEE (WISN) — From alligators and a goat to cockatoos and a wild turkey — more than 100 animals living in what animal control officers described as “filth” — were rescued from a north side Milwaukee duplex.
“I had never seen anything like it. It was it was like Noah’s Ark. It had everything,” said Karen Sparapani, executive director of the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission, which took the animals to shelter and care for them.
The homeowner, who animal control officials suspect of illegally breeding and selling animals from his home, was arrested.
The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case for possible criminal charges.
The commission team was called to the home near 9th and Locust streets late Friday, following a tip from a utility company employee and found 112 animals.
They included more than two dozen dogs and scores of reptiles, exotic birds, and rare mammals. They discovered a long-horned goat living in the attic of the home, which butted one of the animal control officers who was trying to rescue it.
“Getting him out of the attic was a challenge because it’s not like you can put him on a leash,” Sparapani said.
Once the animals were removed, city officials ordered the home boarded up.
Sparapani described the conditions inside the home.
“It was just feces and urine everywhere. And, you know, the dogs are covered in it,” she said, “And what really boggles the mind is, people were living there.”
A friend and neighbor of the homeowner, who asked not to be identified, told WISN 12 News that this all comes as surprise to him.
“I’ve never seen him abuse animals or do anything wrong. I’ve been over to his house before. I’ve seen animals. I didn’t see him doing no harm to nobody or nothing like that,” the neighbor said.
He added that the homeowner had previously owned a pet shop, which is no longer in business.
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