Owners who abandon pets may be charged

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Officials at the Kent County Animal Shelter and Humane Society say they've seen an increase in the number of abandoned and surrendered pets over the past year.

Many animals are abandoned by their owners and left to die in foreclosed homes, 24 Hour News 8 reported Tuesday night.

Prosecutors said Wednesday they take cases of animal cruelty very seriously and have taken action in the past.

In one Cedar Springs foreclosed home last week, Drew Campanelli of Great Lakes Property Services discovered a dead dog, frozen on the couch.

"Right here on this couch was a small cocker spaniel that had just left to die," Campanelli said. "There was no food or water left here. I couldn't tell if it had starved to death or if it had frozen to death, but it was a solid block of ice and the rodents had gotten to it, and it was just an awful situation."

However, the former owner of the foreclosed Cedar Springs house told 24 Hour News 8 he did not own a cocker spaniel and the dog Campanelli found in the property was not his.

Campanelli said he often finds stray animals in foreclosed houses, as well. He sees pets abandoned in foreclosures on a weekly basis -- some starving, some aggressive and some dead -- and said something has to be done. Great Lakes Property Services is a company that prepares foreclosed homes for resale.

"This is getting out of control and nobody wants to step in and do anything to help," Campanelli said. "It's becoming ridiculous and it's out of control. More than anything, I would love to see law enforcement and the shelters get involved."

The realtor for the Cedar Springs property, John Hilton of Real Estate One Success, said he also is concerned about the problem and is working with Great Lakes Property Services to start an awareness program.

Campanelli has filed several reports with police and the Kent County Animal Shelter, and said homeowners should be held responsible for the neglect.

"Some follow-up from local law enforcement and shelters would be great," Campanelli said.

Assistant Kent County Prosecutor Edward Lis said his department takes cases of animal cruelty and neglect at the request of the Kent County Animal Shelter.

There must be evidence of the animal's condition and the shelter must be able to track down the former owner of a foreclosed home before anyone can prosecute, Lis said.

Prosecutors pointed to the case of Patricia Vath, a woman who pleaded guilty last summer for abandoning 24 cats in her Walker home. She faces up to two years in prison.

Many viewers expressed concern over the fees to surrender unwanted pets, saying it may discourage people from turning animals over.

But the Kent County Animal Shelter doesn't charge anything, representatives said.

The Humane Society of Kent County charges $20 but won't turn an animal away if someone can't afford to pay.

"I can't imagine the alternative, personally," said Karen Terpstra, of the Humane Society of Kent County. "I would beg, borrow or steal $20 rather than leave my pet behind with no one to care for it."

The Kent County Animal Shelter charges a $10 dollar fee for pet surrenders but doesn't charge for people who are turning in stray pets.

The humane society offers a variety of services for people having trouble affording the cost of pet care.