- Florida, USA -
Citrus County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 55-year-old SUSAN MARY GOMES (pictured below) after many neglected cats and dogs were found at her Hernando home.
Citrus County Chronicle reports that on Friday, October 29, deputies went to GOMES’ home off of East Parsons Point Road to assist an animal control officer who was there to conduct a wellbeing check.
In the front yard of the residence, authorities saw three medium-sized dogs.
One of them, a Pitbull, was “suffering from a basketball-sized tumor protruding two feet from its stomach, and dragging on the ground whenever the animal would move”, reports Citrus County Chronicle.
Officials also noticed many food containers for cats that were empty.
GOMES told deputies that she was caring for eleven cats and thirteen dogs.
However, authorities removed from her property thirteen cats and twenty dogs.
GOMES also told officials that the dogs drank from a large flowerpot collecting rainwater.
GOMES then allowed authorities to enter her homestead where they discovered sixteen small dogs who were underweight and had overgrown nails. The poor creatures were living among floors covered with feces and urine and there was no sign of food or water for them either.
Ms. Veronica Kampschroer, Citrus County PIO, said that Citrus County Animal Services will be assessing the dog with the tumor, and three other dogs are going to be treated for health conditions.
She further explained that one of the dogs was adopted, another one is with a potential adopter, and then said: “Two additional dogs are currently up for adoption. It is expected that more dogs will become available for adoption over the next few days.”
As for the rescued cats, seven of them were transferred to a rescue partner while the others are still being treated for various conditions.
GOMES was arrested on seventeen counts of animal cruelty and was booked at the Citrus County Jail where bond was set at $17,000.
Online records show she was released.
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What is wrong with these humans? They treat animals as if they are nothing more than a plastic utensil, use it then throw it away. Susan Gomes is old enough to know better & I pray she will stay on the radar of people who actually do love animals.