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Rabbit Advocacy Animal Matters
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1,000+ rabbits, guinea pigs, mice rescued from Wayne County pet store January 20, 2015 fox8.com SMITHVILLE, Ohio- More than a thousand small animals were seized from a Smithville pet store on Friday. A sheriff’s deputy was checking on a tip call on Thursday and went to the store operated out of a four-car garage. When the owner wouldn’t let the deputy see where the animals were housed, authorities returned with a search warrant the next day. According to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, there were about 1,060 guinea pigs, rabbits and mice living in deplorable conditions. The containers were filled with feces and dead animals. The humane society said they took custody of more than 150 cages. The animals are being evaluated and will be made available to the public for adoption. Three people could face charges, including the residents of the house. Contact the Wayne County Humane Society for further information. Comment: There’s no doubt that this is animal cruelty and hoarding. The individuals should face the maximum penalty under law, never be permitted to own animals again, and get a psychiatric evaluation. The welfare and protection of animals is of utmost importance. Innocent, trusting, dependent creatures have suffered and perished because of these deviants. http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/959 |