Saturday, March 14, 2015

Colorado Springs-area cat owner denied officers entry to home

COLORADO -- A man living in a house from which dozens of cats were rescued and then euthanized made excuses to Animal Law Enforcement officers for more than two weeks about why they could not enter his home, court records show.

Officers obtained a search warrant for 312 Pecos Drive, home of Dennis Craven, 54, on Oct. 14 and searched the house the following day.

More than 20 dead cats and about 40 living ones were removed from the home by ALE officers. The cats were euthanized shortly after their removal because they showed symptoms of calicivirus, a highly contagious feline disease.

Officers said the home reeked of urine and feces and had extremely high levels of ammonia.

The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region sent an officer to the house on Sept. 29 after receiving a tip from the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. A deputy had responded to Craven's house after receiving a call for an animal welfare check, and Craven would not allow him inside the house.

Craven said the house was messy and asked the deputy to return in a week, court records show.

The deputy "advised that the smell coming from the owner/residence is like nothing he's ever smelled," court documents say. He saw at least 20 cats in the backyard, which was covered in cat feces, and was aware of at least six cats inside the house.

Officers visited Craven's house four more times during the following two weeks before gaining access. Craven twice told officers he did not want them to go inside because his house was messy, and that he would clean it and they could return within a week.

But on Oct. 5, the date officer Jessica Hanson told him she would return, Craven said he was uncomfortable with people in the house because of his expensive record collection.

When Hanson promised not to touch anything, Craven told her a lawyer friend of his said he could be fined for his home not being handicap accessible, or for having illegal plumbing issues.

Hanson told Craven she was only concerned about the cats' welfare, and he responded that he didn't have cats inside the house and put them all outside for the time being.

One of Craven's friends was at the house at the time helping him put up a privacy fence and a "No Trespassing" sign when Hanson returned on Oct. 13. Craven would not go outside or answer the phone, but his sister later called Hanson to say he would allow officers inside.

Hanson obtained a search warrant the following day and the home was searched Oct. 15.

Possible charges against Craven are pending, said Gretchen Pressley, spokeswoman for the Humane Society.

(Colorado Springs Gazette - March 13, 2015)

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