Animal neglect case investigated in Lakeland

In the third case of animal neglect in Central Florida in recent months, another woman has been arrested following an investigation in Lakeland. 27 live cats were found in the home and seized, along with a dog.

On Wednesday, April 17, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Cruelty Investigations Unit responded to Hedge Drive North in Lakeland regarding a complaint involving possible neglected cats and hoarding. When investigators arrived on scene, they detected a strong odor of ammonia coming from the home and contacted the homeowner, 66-year-old Catherine Briley.

Briley confirmed that she lives alone in the home and estimated that there were approximately sixteen cats and one dog in the home. When detectives entered the home, wearing respirators due to the toxic ammonia levels and their inability to breathe unaided, they saw between 20 and 25 cats walking around the home, several of which were coughing and had a green nasal discharge. Polk County Fire Rescue responded to the scene and recorded an ammonia level of 10 ppm in the air and a hydride (toxic industrial chemical) level of 40 ppm. Both measurements are considered high.

The cats couldn’t leave the house to get fresh air. There were cat food and water bowls throughout the house with food and water for the animals. There were several litter boxes overflowing with feces and urine. The dog in the house had difficulty walking or standing and had very long, severely overgrown toenails that were curled. The dog was missing a large amount of fur and appeared to be suffering from a skin condition.

During a search warrant, a total of 27 live cats were found and seized in the home. The aforementioned dog was also seized. There were five deceased cats under a bed. All animals found were covered in fleas.

“This is the third case since December where we have found a woman hoarding animals to the point where they are neglected and suffering from disease,” said Sheriff Grady Judd. “The house, inside and out, is also what I would call unlivable. This particular suspect is no stranger to the criminal justice system, having been arrested for several crimes in the past. It is our hope that these animals will be rehabilitated and adopted into loving homes, and that this suspect will no longer be allowed to own any animals.”

Briley was arrested and charged with the following:

• 28 counts animal cruelty
• 5 counts of felony animal cruelty
• One count where an animal was confined without sufficient food/water
• One count retaining unauthorized dumps
• One count concerns nuisance that is harmful to health

The animals were taken to Polk County Animal Control for full veterinary examinations and treatment.

The following is an excerpt from the suspect’s statement and is self-explanatory:

All twenty-seven living cats were denied access to clean, breathable air. This causes continuous and repetitive respiratory distress to the animals, causing unnecessary or unjustified pain or suffering, in violation of FS 828.12(1).

The dog, a male poodle mix, was in poor condition and scored a 1/9 on the Purina Body Condition System, indicating the animal is very thin. The dog was missing large chunks of fur and had dermatitis due to an apparent flea infestation. The dog also had eye problems and apparent breathing problems. The dog was immediately transported to the PCSO veterinarian for evaluation and treatment. The dog was denied access to clean, breathable air. This causes continuous and repetitive respiratory distress to the dog, causing unnecessary or unwarranted pain or suffering, in violation of FS 828.12(1).

The five deceased cats were under a bed in a locked bedroom. The bedroom door was closed and the cats were not allowed to leave the room. There was no food or water in this room. It was clear that the five cats had starved to death. The state of starvation leads to a slow and cruel death. This violates FS 828.12(2).

The suspect locked all the animals in the home without exchanging clean air. Additionally, the suspect locked the five deceased cats in a bedroom without access to food and water, ultimately resulting in their deaths, in violation of FS 828.13.

During the search of the property I noticed that the entire front yard, side yard and backyard were covered in piles of all kinds of junk and debris. These piles, and throughout the backyard, were covered with household waste, construction/demolition debris, several bicycles in various stages of disassembly, appliances, furniture, plastic and metal scattered throughout the property, resulting in an unauthorized dump. This property is not a permitted solid waste management facility. This is a violation of FAC 62-701.300 (1)(a), which states that no person shall store, process, or dispose of solid waste except as permitted in a permitted solid waste management facility or a facility exempt from permitting under this chapter. and is therefore a violation of FS 403.161.

I also saw thousands of flies swarming throughout the building, including large blowflies, on the piles of trash and rotting debris. There were also buckets and other containers filled with dirty water containing larvae. These conditions created, maintained, and caused conditions capable of breeding flies, mosquitoes, and other arthropods capable of transmitting disease, directly or indirectly to humans, in violation of FS 386.041(1)(e).