Onzie Horne, deputy director of the Public Works Division, said crews with Public Works and Memphis Animal Services began removing the animals at 835 Stonewall throughout the day on Thursday after complaints from neighbors.
While Horne initially said the house contained "hundreds" of animals, other city officials expressed skepticism over such a large number and said that work at the house would continue until all the animals were removed.
Horne said the home's attic also contained animals, and that the horde included domesticated pets, such as cats and dogs, as well as raccoons.
"It was clearly a case of animal cruelty," Horne said. City workers had to fight their way through feces that measured nearly 2 feet deep inside the home.
"Animal Services said it was the worst case they've ever seen," said Horne. "Some (animals) were alive, some were dead. The neighbors could smell the stench."
City spokeswoman Mary Cashiola said an exact count of the animals was still under way, but that "hundreds sounds like an exaggeration, but we're checking on it." Cashiola said one cat was captured alive and other traps were set.
"Apparently, the (Memphis Animal Services) workers could not reach the area where additional cats were located because of the debris," said Cashiola.
A peek inside the front door of the home showed a badly decayed interior filled with trash. An overpowering smell of animal waste greeted visitors who got close to the house. The backyard of the home was overgrown with vegetation and an abandoned car was parked in the driveway.
According to property records, 835 Stonewall was last owned by Camille W. Stanley, who filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.
Reached by telephone, Stanley said she hasn't lived in the house since February and that she was "bowled over" by the city's investigation.
"I had cats while I lived there, but I found homes for them before I left," said Stanley. "While I'm the former owner of the house, what's happened since I lived there, I don't know."
Stanley said wild dogs and feral cats often roamed the neighborhood. Stanley said she would sometimes return to place food outside for the wild dogs and cats in the neighborhood.
"I would sometimes go and put food out and maybe the animals were attracted to that, I don't know," Stanley said.In late September, law enforcement and volunteers raided a home in Moscow, Tenn., and found more than 100 animals living in crates and filth. More than 20 animals were found dead.
William Parr and his wife Rocio were charged with 168 counts of animal cruelty and child neglect after the Tennessee Department of Children's Services removed two children from the family's Fayette County home, about 18 miles east of Collierville.
Authorities found dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, rabbits and mice living in kennels filled with feces. There were dead animals inside the cages and in a wooded area near the home.
A court date is set for Oct. 24, and an adoption event for some of the rescued animals is set for Saturday in Oakland.
(Commercial Appeal - Oct 4, 2012)
