Alaska: Daniel Hoffman, 50, and Lester Mendez, 46, charged with animal cruelty after hoarding animals in rental home

ALASKA -- For the last five years, Daniel Hoffman, 51, and Lester Mendez, 46, rented a single-family home with a three-car garage on Hanson Drive, according to the home’s owner, Wayne Hanson.

Jones paid a visit Saturday, Jan. 14 after the two men reported frozen pipes, said Hanson, an Anchorage bed and breakfast operator.

Nearing the home, Jones smelled and saw all the animals inside and alerted animal-welfare officers. Once inside, he discovered dogs in pet carriers stacked six high and feces everywhere — inches deep on some floors and covering the bottoms of the pet carriers.

“He couldn’t get up the stairs to check on the pipes,” Hanson said Monday. “It was unreal. I haven’t been in the house yet to tell you the truth. I’ve got kind of a weak stomach.”

When maintenance man Robert Jones was finally allowed into the rental property off Hanson Drive in Eagle River on Saturday, the broken pipe he came to fix was a minor problem compared to what he found in the home.

"It was horrible in there, it was horrendous, you would not believe it," Jones said. "Kennels were stacked to the ceiling with 4 inches of poop in places."

All told, authorities discovered 39 dogs ranging in age, most of them small breeds, and more than 40 parakeets, according to Anchorage Animal Care and Control Center spokeswoman Brooke Taylor.

Anchorage police spokeswoman Anita Shell described the home’s condition as “unkempt” with pathways leading through stacks of items, electric heaters the only source of heat and an “unusable” kitchen that contained a 25-gallon barrel filled with dog food. Little water appeared available to the dogs. An officer saw one dog running in and out of a bathroom, apparently thirsty and drawn to the toilet; the officer closed the door to keep the dog from drinking the feces-fouled water.

Anchorage Police arrested two residents of the home and charged them with two counts each of animal cruelty.

Police spokesman Lt. David Parker identified them as Daniel Hoffman, 50, and Lester Mendez (aka Lester Matthew Mendez), 46 (DOB 1-31-1965).

A neighbor who said he lives across the street from the men said he didn’t even know they had dogs.

The home has been condemned, Hanson said, which saves him the challenge of evicting his tenants. He’s waiting on more information before proceeding with cleanup.

Animal control officers, a public health official and police officers ferried the dogs and birds to the city's animal shelter Saturday night.

(Anchorage Daily News - January 14, 2012)