Animals removed from feces-filled home

MILLCREEK — More than two dozen animals were removed from a house Thursday after the homeowner, unable to take care of the animals or himself, called an animal advocacy group for help.

"It's really sad," said Anne Davis, executive director of the Animal Advocacy Alliance of Utah. "I don't know how he's survived in this situation because it's really bad."

The man, 68, contacted Davis last week after receiving a citation for violating Salt Lake County's animal ordinance. Davis and her group arrived Thursday to help the man clean up his house, but quickly learned the situation was far worse than they expected.

"It was overwhelming," she said.

The house, near 3400 South and 2300 East, had piles of feces all over the upstairs area, and large garbage bags full of feces downstairs, Davis said. The man slept on a couch in the living room that was soaked with urine. Other assorted trash was piled up throughout the house. Some of the animal cages in the man's house were too heavy to lift because of the amount of feces on the bottom, said Jeff Woods, with Sniper, a company that helps clean up environmental messes.

Unified Fire Authority said the ammonia levels in the house measured at an almost dangerous level.

At least six law enforcement and government agencies, including the Salt Lake County Health Department, were called to the scene. Animal control officers had to wear masks when they entered the house because of the unbearable stench which, when the wind picked up, could be smelled outside from several homes away.

"It's not safe to be in the house," Woods said. "You can't even breathe in there." An estimated 14 cats, four rabbits, four birds, two guinea pigs, some gerbils and a hamster were removed from the house. Davis said although the man loved all the of animals, he was incapable of taking care of them, let alone himself.

As the cats were being loaded into cages and animal control vehicles, the worried owner several times made a head count, pointing out each cat by name and telling officials how many were missing. The animals were all scheduled to be examined to determine their conditions.

Thursday wasn't the first time officials had been at the man's house. A little over a year ago, social service workers were called by neighbors to help the man. As unfathomable as it sounded, Woods said the man's house was worse then.

"This is light compared to what it was before," he said.

The last time animal services was called, 20 to 40 rabbits were removed from the house, Woods said.