Woman with 17 dogs said to perform autopsy

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Associated Press

HESPERIA, Calif. - A woman with 17 dogs in her home - two of them dead in a freezer - was taken for mental health evaluation. The 51-year-old woman told deputies Wednesday that she froze the two dogs after they died because she could not bear to part with them, said Sgt. Randy Beavers of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

The woman also allegedly told Beavers she had performed an at-home autopsy on one of the frozen dogs to determine how the animal had died, hoping she could prolong the lives of her other dogs.
"She has no malice whatsoever. She loves these animals. She thinks they are like her children," Beavers said.

Deputies said the stench of trash and dog feces in the home was overwhelming.

"When the deputies arrived, the smell about knocked them out," he said. "They couldn't even go into the house."

Thirteen surviving dogs were taken to an animal control facility. Two others ran away.

A friend of the woman telephoned deputies after phone calls to the woman went unanswered for a few days, Beavers said.

The woman, whose name wasn't released, was taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center Behavioral Health Unit for evaluation, Beavers said.

[PitBullie09]

Thats a really upsetting story.. I'm glad the dogs got taken though.

[mulroony]

A good example of an animal hoarder, they usually think they are doing what is best for the animals. They cannot see that they are not helping the animals ans sadly it is really difficult to treat.

Not too make lite of the story, but I glanced the first paragraph and didn't see the officers name given, so the line "The woman also allegedly told Beavers she had performed an at-home autopsy" had a completely different meaning. Heck a woman walking around telling beavers anything is probably not right...

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Heck a woman walking around telling beavers anything is probably not right...

ROFL!

[calgal]

It's a sickness like horading anything else, even trash, and I see she hoards that too! I still can't understand how they can stand to live in all the poop though. You'd think that alone could kill you. Wonder what happen to the two dogs who got away?

[Mellie]

I was confused when I glanced at the title. I wondered what 17 dogs had to do with the woman performing an autopsy. I admit I read things very literally sometimes... generally, an 'autopsy' is done by a human on a human... a 'necropsy' is done by a human on an animal. I've performed several necropsies with no issues... but I don't know how that woman could stomach doing one on her own pet.
VT, some years ago, enforced tougher animal cruelty laws. A statute on animal hoarding was added, which seeks mental help for the person at the same time as it seeks care for the animals.

[linnie]

I just wondered ?????/ Were the other surviving dogs in good health????

[DuckDodgers]

That is just sad. Those poor dogs! Well at least now they can find better homes.

[TinyAlbinoDancer]

Originally Posted by Mellie

I've performed several necropsies with no issues... but I don't know how that woman could stomach doing one on her own pet.

She lived in animal feces and trash!

I wonder how those 2 got away... Hmm.

[Shadowkins]

Sounds like this poor lady has serious mental health issues.Thank goodness they have her in for treatment and that the other animals were taken out of that hell hole.

[k9hullio_sam]

Originally Posted by Crossfire Bulldogs

Associated Press

HESPERIA, Calif. - A woman with 17 dogs in her home - two of them dead in a freezer - was taken for mental health evaluation.

Thank Goodness. It is really sad though that she was trying to save her dogs, but it was just too much for her. I saw one time this lady had so many animals and she spent like all of her time caring for them, and they had to take them away because she never took care of herself.(She wasn't doing a good job with taking care of them) It was like this lady trying to move a mountain. It sucks, I wouldn't be able to tell them I was taking their dogs from them.(I hate to make people cry and stuff lol).

[mulroony]

Hoarding is such a sad condition that equates to people killing dogs to "save" them or similarly mother's killing her children to protect them. From what I have heard most people will never fully recvoer and most relapse shortly after leaving treatment.