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Last updated on Wednesday, July 11, 2018
(OWEN CO.) - The Owen County Humane Society is asking for the public’s help in finding new homes for 83 animals that were seized during a criminal investigation in a rural part of the county.=
CBS4 reports, Becky Brown, President of the Owen County Humane Society, says she received a call around 11 a.m. Friday from the Owen County Sheriff's Office. She says investigators needed her help removing the animals from a property in the 5600 block of Tulip Trace Drive in Poland, Indiana. Investigators were at the property for a theft and burglary investigation when they encountered the large number of animals.
Brown says she arrived to find several campers and various shelters around the property. Then, she says she started opening doors to the campers.
Brown says more than two dozen potbelly pigs were being housed inside the campers with no light or fresh air, in stacked cages, and standing in urine-soaked manure.
In all, Brown and others removed 29 potbellied pigs, two ducks, seven chickens, one rooster, one guinea pig, six dogs, five puppies, seven rabbits, 11 goats, seven cats, and seven kittens from the property.
Brown says she and other animal care workers thought one of the goats was dead when they arrived, but got it to a vet immediately.
Police arrested Tonia Torres and Evan Vanbibber were arrested on charges including theft and burglary, with animal cruelty added to the list.
Since the seizure, Brown says several area shelter and rescue organizations have stepped in to help care for the animals. But she says that help only goes so far. Four of the rescued pigs are being kept in kennels inside the Humane Society's garage. Other animals have found temporary homes on area farms and inside the shelter. Brown wants to find permanent homes for all the animals, but she says that's a tall order on an $8,000 annual budget. The vet bill for the pigs came to $4,800.
Brown is hoping anyone who can help with donations or animal care will contact her at the Owen County Humane Society Shelter at (812) 829-6247. Donations can also be made at Edwards Farm Supply in Spencer.
Brown says she also hopes the case will bring more awareness to the problem of animal hoarding.
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