'Strong, pungent odor': Northern California man accused of animal cruelty after nearly 50 animals seized

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(FOX40.COM) — A man is accused of animal cruelty after law enforcement seized 49 different types of animals from a unit operated by him, according to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.

Officials said the 35-year-old suspect from Grass Valley was arrested twice in a span of three days.

The man was arrested on Aug. 6 after 47 animals were collectively seized. Two dogs were in the process of being seized but were given to a neighbor in good faith with that person agreeing to assume all care.

When Animal Control did a follow up check two days later, they discovered that the same two dogs were back in the suspect’s care in cages with no access to food or water.

The dogs were seized and the suspect was arrested again and booked into Wayne Brown Correctional Facility.

The first arrest happened after the sheriff’s office said deputies responded to a report of several animals leaving a business unit within the Alta Sierra Business Park complex on Alta Sierra Drive.

Deputies located the unit along with the suspect, who told authorities he had plans to open a reptile business, but it was not yet in operation and he didn’t have a permit.

Animals found inside included snakes, reptiles, rabbits, guinea peas, rats, ducks, chickens, birds, cats and dogs, the sheriff’s office said. Most of the animals were locked in small cages or tubs that were contaminated with urine and feces and had no access to water or food, officials said.

The sheriff’s office said a lack of food, water and cleanliness were found with most of the animals.

“Upon entry into the unit, I was hit with a strong, pungent odor of ammonia, coupled with stagnant, humid, warm air,” Nevada County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control supervisor Stefanie Geckler said. “There were no obvious sources of ventilation, no windows were open, no fans were running, and the air conditioner was not turned on.”

Geckler recalled going inside one small room where there were six plastic tubs with different types of birds in them. There was no water or food for the birds inside the tub and some of the tubs were covered with plastic lids, making it very difficult for birds to breathe, Geckler said.

“The ammonia stench grew the deeper we got into the room,” Geckler said.

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Jeremiah Martinez

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