Officials say the women, Barbara Yogmas and her mother, Barbara Courey, are now homeless and Courey did not have an attorney when the two showed up for their preliminary hearing.
The women were charged in early November after police found 148 birds, 10 cats, 14 ferrets, seven dogs, two geckos, a bearded dragon, a guinea pig and a turtle inside the home they shared with Yogmas' 12-year-old son, who officials say suffers from autism and was living in such dirty conditions that even outside the Brookline home there was an overwhelming odor.
Crews responded to the home in the 700 block of Bayridge Avenue. Allegheny County sheriff’s deputies were there to serve an eviction notice when they saw the conditions inside the home.
"It’s probably the largest intake of animals we’ve ever had through animal control," said Dan Rossi. Rossi is the CEO of the Animal Rescue League, which took in the animals.
Yogmas spoke with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 and said she has no one to blame but herself, and tried to help the animals but got overwhelmed.
"Maybe go for help if everyone comes to you. You know? Maybe some people could fix their situation first and won’t be in this situation," Yogmas said.
The pair's hearing has now been rescheduled for Dec 16 and officials tell Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that some of the charges they face may be changed to felonies.
For now they are charged with several counts of cruelty to animals and one count of endangering the welfare of children.
(WTAE - Dec 2, 2016)
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