A animal hoarding situation is taking place in the town of Pompey, New York, which is in the Syracuse area. WSYR reported the story September 30. A video can be seen here (update 21st Oct 2016 – link broken – sorry).
Unfortunately, this tragedy involves an animal control officer, Susan Snavlin, who is believed to be around 61 years old. She has been an Animal Control Officer for the Town of Pompey since 2003, and was paid $4,400 a year for performing that job. Snavlin has resigned her position after being charged Monday with more than 150 counts of animal cruelty after more than 200 dogs and 50 cats were found at her dairy farm home on Tully Farms Road.
Central New York SPCA (CNY SPCA) Chief Investigator and Executive Director Paul Morgan said investigators went to the home after a tip came in on Monday. Someone had recently seen a large number of dogs on the property, but didn’t have an address. That person obtained the address, and reported it to the SPCA.
A total of 73 animals were removed from the property on Monday, where the SPCA staff continued removing animals until dark. Monday’s removal was mostly small dogs, unsocialized and covered in urine and feces. Then another 150 to 200 were removed on Tuesday. All of the animals are said to have been living in deplorable conditions. It will take a few days for a veterinarian to examine each cat and dog for health problems.
The seized animals were taken to the CNY SPCA, who posted an update Tuesday evening on their Facebook page, along with the notice they’ll be closed Tuesday and Wednesday to care for the seized animals. The CNY SPCA is also in need of donations for these animals.
“If you’ve been watching the news you know that we are caring for over 200 more animals. This large volume requires more of items such as: bleach, laundry soap, blankets and towels. If you happen to have a chance to drop any of these off (and you can leave them outside the front door, we’ll bring them in) it would be most welcomed.”
They’re also in need of playpens to hold some of the puppies in their care. If you can’t help locally, donations can be made at the CNY SPCA website. Several dozen donations have already been dropped off to help care for the animals.
According to an interview with Syracuse News, Pompey Town Supervisor Carole Marsh believes Snavlin had good intentions and just got in over her head. Marsh did say she visited the animals Tuesday and they all appeared to be well fed.
“I really think she had a very big heart, and she just didn’t ask for help. I know how she loves animals, and I think it just got too much for her.”.
This isn’t a case where a person just kept a lot of animals. The Pompey Town Supervisor says Snavlin was inspected on March 19 by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and passed inspection. It’s unknown whether this was a special inspection, or a routine inspection. Whatever happened to create such poor conditions has happened over the past six months.
Marsh has spoken to Snavlin, who says “she was sorry and she felt very bad.” Snavlin doesn’t wish to go on camera or be interviewed.
Marsh went on to add most of the animals will be available for adoption in the near future.
You are absolutely correct CaronC. America is very transparent on the internet. There is a lot of information about animal welfare compared to say in China. Americans are the biggest users of the internet and that might give the wrong impression. Animal abuse is far worse to my knowledge in the East: Vietnam, China, Cambodia, these places sorts of places. America has excellent animal welfare laws. Even the UK, so called animal lovers, has a decent amount of animal abuse of various kinds.
Sorry Kylee, but I must take issue with your comment about you being glad you don’t live in America. Where is it that you live that is pet and animal free? Because abuse happens EVERYWHERE where there are animals. Starving packs of dogs made the news as they roamed the Olympic area in Russia last winter. Soldiers tell us of the homeless dogs and cats that roam the middle east. Aide workers talk of how animals are treated in Africa and South America. I have seen starving cats on the streets of Paris. Don’t blame America!
I would never understand why a person would turn their beloved animal out anywhere to fend for themselves because of a kill shelter. Can you imagine one moment that while that animal is put out where ever that might be, some wild animal comes along that is larger and more powerful and gashes and slashes its flesh with its sharp teeth. Tearing and ripping away the flesh while the beloved pet runs to survive only to be over powered and more razor sharp tugs at the flesh with important arteries being struck and a down pour of blood until the animal bleeds out? What a horrible way to go. Yes, i said it before a no kill shelter is a horrible and inexcusable solution, but what is the lesser of two evils? Until a patch is in place to start with a fresh approach to its problem, what should be done that isn’t? I would have to also assume that people are also the problem. People carry animals to these types of shelters on a daily basis. Perhaps some areas are small and not a lot of choices. I feel fortunate that where we live there is a lot of No Kill shelters available. I realize other areas perhaps do not have those choices, yet abandoning an animal anywhere is never the wisest of choice. There are too many other forces at work that can kill an animal out to fend on its own.