SAN ANTONIO – Acting on a search warrant, investigators from Animal Care Services rounded up a variety of domestic animals from the home of a 75-year-old woman living alone at a home in the 200 block of Pendelton Friday morning.
“She had been collecting them over time and of course to her these animals are her family,” said ACS investigator Audra Houghton.
Inside the home investigators found dogs, cats and exotic birds. In the backyard there were chickens, ducks, geese, a pheasant and a turtle.
The seizure is considered the largest ever for ACS, officials said.
“The majority of the animals appear to be well fed,” Houghton said. “But unfortunately because of the overcrowding and living conditions, these are hazardous living conditions for them here.”
Friday’s visit followed complaints from neighbors about the noise the animals were making.
This was not the first visit to the woman’s home by ACS investigators.
“It was not severe like this in the past,” Houghton said. “She had a number of animals at that time several years ago and she surrendered some to us voluntarily and the remainder she had spayed and neutered.”
Department of Human Services representatives were also on the scene Friday to offer the woman any assistance that she may need.
The animals were taken to Animal Care Services where they will be examined and evaluated by veterinarians. ACS will then begin working with nonprofit rescue groups to find homes for them.