I sympathize with the cat lady, although, I am a dog lover. I had 15 dogs until last year, when the city animal control officer started coming to me about having too many and the neighbors complaining about the barking. I took in a dog who had puppies in 1994. We had two family pets at that time. I never had any compliants from my neighbors about the dogs. The yard is fenced in and they have an enclosed, climate controlled car port. It is divided into individual small enclosures. There is a bench in there, so my husband and I can sit with the dogs. They have a doggy door and are living very good lives. Over the past 10 years strays have wandered here and I have taken some in. I put ads in the local paper looking for their owners. If I didn't find a home, I kept the dog. They are all spayed and neutered and although it's very expensive, I have been able to keep them up to date on their shots. In the past several years, we aquired a new neighbor. She has done nothing but complain about my dogs and the neighbor 's on her other side, who have several dogs and cats. She knew I had dogs, it was her choice to move here. The animal control officer kept after me, until I was faced with having to give up some of my dogs. He took three, assuring me they were going to a non-kill shelter. I still placed an ad in the newspaper trying to get someone to go to the shelter and adopt an animal. I made the choice to have one dog euthanized. She had pit bull in her and I knew would not be considered a good adoption candidate. I wanted to save her the stress of being in a cage for two or three weeks only to be euthanized. I feel so much guilt over doing this to a dog that I had rescued. She was tied up at an empty house with no food for three days, when I was told about her. I will always remember the sigh she made, when I lifted her onto the back seat of my car. The dog catcher wanted to take two dogs that he had been trying to pick up off the streets for three years. Their owner lived a street over from me. He got hunting dogs each year, hunted with them and then just turned them out to roam. He didn't want them back. One dog would come by and I started putting food out. Then a young dog started hanging out with him. Last summer they started staying under our new car port. I had a fan for them during the summer, a soft cushion, food and water. When the animal control officer threatened me with a fine, my husband said we can't resist. I got these two to go in the fence. This angered the animal control officer. He wanted those two - but I gave up three who I felt were much more adoptable. Since then, he kept on me, because I was still over the limit of six. I found a good home for a very gentle, big, lap dog want to be rottweiler and a companion dog. Luckily for them they went to the same home. I had to give up a beagle I rescued. I was told she was adopted from the shelter. A husky was taken to the shelter - Buddy. They told me he was euthanized because he developed an upper respiratory infection. I have a feeling, they did not treat him with meds. Another dog, Parker, was adopted from the shelter. I was given a citation and had to appear in city court and fined in November $296. The city prosecutor would not even let me show any documentation about how I had cared for the dogs, took in strays and tried to find homes for them. He said he had seen all he needed to see - which was the animal control officer's documentation of leaving notes on my door or coming by my job to talk to me. The animal control officer always gave me the impression, that he didn't want to do this, that it was only because of complaints. I had even had an article done by the city newspaper, in an attempt to find homes. My husband is an animal lover also, but more realistic. He said our expectations are too high, when placing a dog for adoption. I have cried so many tears over my dogs. I am down to 9 - still 3 over. I have been very, very diligent about keeping their barking down. I have a large fenced double lot. The first area we fenced in 20 years ago is around the back of the house. Then when I got more animals, I had the entire yard fenced. Now I keep three dogs in the house, the remaining 6 are in the inner fence, unless I am home to hear them, if they start barking. Five years ago, I put in a privacy fence between our house and the neighbor, but that did not satisfy her. I wish I could move out of the city limits, but it is not financially possible. I wish I were a more proactive person and maybe I would not have let myself get in this situation. People who take it upon themselves to help animals have my respect. I have just lost my Dad, after being his caretaker for 6 years. Between the animals, my job and my Dad - I am an emotional wreck. I just wish more people would have compassion for the animals who are abandoned. I wish all puppy mills would be outlawed. I know of so many who do it only for the money in selling the animals and I know they are not all licensed. Why can't the animal control work more closely with the humane society and go after the abusers? Thanks for your understanding.
(Original Air Date: 11/15/06) Imagine discovering that your next-door neighbor owns over 200 cats. Ray and Dennis never thought their neighbor, Kristy, would let her pet collection get that big. Once friends, the three are now in a nasty and vindictive war because of the felines. Ray and Dennis say Kristy's property is one big, disgusting litter box, and they want Kristy to get rid of her cats. Kristy says she'll never part with her "cat sanctuary." Are Ray and Dennis playing dirty in order to run Kristy out of town? When is it too much, and where do you draw the line in the litter box? Then, Mike says his wife, Lori, keeps everything from used envelopes to empty food jars and medicine bottles, because she "might need it" in the future. He is ready to take desperate measures to put a stop to this. Lori says the thought of throwing her stuff out is her worst nightmare. Is Mike guilty of making nasty bribes to get his wife to change? What's really behind Lori's habit for hoarding? Tell us what you think!
