The president and CEO of the Humane Society in Summit County tells WKYC Channel 3's Hilary Golston it's one of the worst cases of animal hoarding and neglect she's seen in Summit County.
Gregory McCray lives right next door to where police found the animals. He says he watched a woman come out of the home very late at night and dig what appeared to be graves to bury some animals.
"I'm figuring why is she out here digging holes, and I found out she got about 5 or 6 graves in the back," said McCray.
Police were called to the 900 block of Manitou Avenue when neighbors reported a bad smell coming from the home. When authorities arrived, they knocked on the door. When no one answered, police barged in to the home and found 39-year-old Traci Fitt.
Police say inside of the home they also found dead animals, live animals and feces.
Fitt was charged with four counts of animal abuse, but additional charges may appear as the case is further investigated.
Kenan Berisha says he called authorities yesterday, after the smell started making him and his children sick.
"I started throwing up... and that's when I said I'm gonna have to... let the law handle this because it's not right," said Berisha.
McCray says he and his neighbors have been dealing with the smell for five years, but the health department, police and humane society weren't able to help.
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| Neighbor saw graves outside of Akron home (Photo: Hilary Golston, WKYC-TV) |
Akron Police Captain Daniel Zampelli tells Golston he researched calls from the area, but couldn't find any since November. He also says the calls were unrelated to Fitt and her home.
Police worked with the PAWSibilties Humane Society of Greater Akron, which so far has seized 19 betta fish, nine cats, three guinea pigs, four dogs and other exotic animals.
Diane Johnson, the President and CEO of PAWSibilities, says workers are still transferring the animals to the facility for treatment. Johnson says the animals will remain at the Humane Society until the courts decide where they should go.
"The animals that have suffered," said Johnson. "That's the most heartbreaking part of this, and it could have been avoided... should have been avoided."
Johnson encourages anyone who notices something odd, like fouls smells coming from a home, to alert authorities.
The health department has condemned the house.
(WKYC - Aug 5, 2015)
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