CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Animal Protective League removed more than 100 animals from a house in the city's Brooklyn Centre neighborhood after serving a warrant on Wednesday.
Officials executed the search warrant after receiving allegations of animal neglect. Video showed APL members and officers from the Cleveland Division of Police loading animals into vans, an operation that took around eight hours.
APL officials say the animals seized from the Mapledale Avenue home include 39 dogs, 23 cats, 25 birds "of various types," eight rabbits, six guinea pigs, and three fowl. All of the animals removed are alive, with the suspect apparently surrendering 82 voluntarily and the remaining 22 being held in protective custody.
3News obtained the search warrant which said in part, "The physical appearance of the exterior and interior (of the hours) and all objects therein, saw dwelling being a crime scene in violation of cruelty against companion animals, city of Cleveland Code Chapter 603...". Cleveland Code Chapter 603 states that "no person being the owner shall permit them to run at large upon any public place, unenclosed lands or the premises of another."
Neighbors who did not want to go on camera told 3News that they had recently noticed an issue with cats roaming the neighborhood.
"Charges have not been filed, as the animals are still being assessed and evidence of their condition being gathered," the AP said in a statement. "Given the number of animals, this will take some time."
PHOTOS: Cleveland APL removes around 100 animals from house
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