WASHINGTON -- A Graham woman pleaded not guilty Friday to neglecting a collection of animals, including alpacas, a horse, a parrot and a llama.
Heidi Anne Christensen, 52, is charged with four counts of first-degree animal cruelty and four counts of second-degree animal cruelty.
Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Meagan Foley released Christensen on her own recognizance after she was arraigned and ordered her not to own any animals without court permission.
Christensen must also turn over any remaining pets in the next 10 days.
Animal control officers responded in February 2014 to her home on 252nd Street Court East after a passerby reported a horse that looked underfed and covered in burns.
A search of the property turned up 13 alpacas, a horse and a llama. Inside the house were a turtle, a green parrot, three dogs and two cats.
Charging documents give this description:
Many of the animals had no food or water.
The horse was emaciated with overgrown teeth and hooves and was living in an area littered with trash and 11 animal skulls.
One of the alpacas was starving in a pen amid five animal skulls. Another later died at a veterinarian’s office from starvation.
Others had matted hair, burrs and overgrown teeth.
The dogs and cats appeared to be healthy, but officers noted some litter boxes were full of feces, a dog kennel had no food or water, and the house smelled like a barn.
The turtle was cold to the touch, and the parrot’s cage was rusted and filthy.
(News Tribune - Feb 26, 2016)
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