- Idaho, USA -
On the evening of Tuesday, October 11, 2022, several animals were removed from a Coeur d’Alene apartment and the Coeur d’Alene Police Department charged 30-years-old SAMANTHA RAE O’HARA (pictured), with twenty misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals and one misdemeanor count of injury to a child.
Police responded to O’HARA’s apartment on Tuesday for a welfare check; the animals were found to be living in unsanitary conditions, and conditions inside the apartment were poor.
CDA Press reports that police said the “unbearable” smell of urine, feces, and rot, made it hard for officers to breathe and their eyes were also burning.
Officials found approximately a hundred rodents who were being kept in cages, twelve cats and kittens, seven dogs, a rabbit, and many reptiles including ball pythons, bearded dragons, geckos, and turtles.
An algae-coated tank was found full of deceased fish and dead reptiles were also discovered.
According to CDA Press: “Police said the cats and dogs appeared malnourished and several were clearly sick. Living in their own filth, some animals were locked in crates or kept in rooms without food, water or human interaction. In one crate, some of the cats had been eating the body of a dead pet.”
The Kootenai Humane Society is now caring for the cats, the dogs and the rabbit.
The rodents have been placed in foster care, while many reptiles were left at the apartment to be cared for by a third party. Animal Control will follow up on their condition.
A second suspect in the case told police that he and O’HARA took the animals from “bad homes” and the situation became overwhelming.
Police have not revealed the identity of the second suspect and have not yet filed charges against him.
In the apartment authorities also found a child who was placed in the care of family.
O’HARA was placed under arrest and the following day at her first court appearance she pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Online arrest records show that O’HARA was released after posting a $300 bail.
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