309 Animals Found In Mobile Home, Teacher Charged: Polk County Sheriff

POLK COUNTY, FL — A second-grade teacher faces charges in an animal abuse and hoarding case after 309 animals were removed from her Frostproof double-wide mobile home, according to a Polk County Sheriff’s Office news release.

The animals at the property included 142 cats, three dogs and 164 fowl (ducks, chickens, geese and a peacock.)

Lisa Lacharite, 48, of Frostproof was charged with five counts of animal cruelty, 304 counts of animal neglect and one count of elder neglect, all felonies.

The animals were found by a deputy during a Thursday morning welfare check following a tip from the SPCA, Sheriff Grady Judd said during a news conference.

• Also Read: 200 Cats, Chickens, Ducks Found Living In FL Mobile Home: Sheriff

Earlier this month, Lacharite brought 22 cats to the organization to be spayed or neutered.

When she visited the agency with the animals, “the odor of ammonia was overwhelming,” Randa Richter with the SPCA said during the news conference. This was “a clear sign we might have some problems.”

The cats were emaciated and “in extremely poor condition,” Richter said. Many had severe flea infestations, upper respiratory infections and nasal and eye discharge, wounds from fighting, and missing fur.

While at the SPCA, Lacharite commented that “the ones (animals) at her property were in way worse condition,” Richter added.

This prompted the agency to contact Polk County Animal Control.

Deputies investigating the case found that Lacharite was the caregiver for her 75-year-old mother, “an invalid” who can’t “get around very well on her own,” Judd said. Her mother was brought to a hospital for a health evaluation.

An air quality test showed that ammonia in the air from the animal urine was as high as 100 parts per million.

“More than 50 parts (per million) is hazardous to human and animal health,” the sheriff said.

Ammonia smells were detected from the front of the property, before deputies ever entered the home, he added.

Wire cages with about 75 chickens, ducks, geese and a peacock were stacked on the enclosed front porch and at least 50 cats roamed freely inside the home’s main living area, authorities said.

• dirty water in containers in the pens;
• all of the pens contained large amounts of feces on the bottom of the wire cages;
• cages that hadn't been cleaned for an extended period of time;
• inadequate clean exchange of air on the porch;
• a strong odor of ammonia, which immediately caused burning and irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, in the home;
• cats running loose in the kitchen, living room, and utility room area;
• cats lying on the kitchen counters, stove, and inside cabinets;
• a litter box filled with urine and feces inside the pantry in the kitchen;
• three cats in kennels, two of which were nursing kittens;
• two dogs inside kennels in the living room;
• feces on the floor throughout the residence, and feces piled up in every litter box;
• litter boxes that didn't seem to be cleaned for an extended amount of time;
• about 10 litter boxes lined down the hallway, all of which were filled with urine and feces;
• approximately 50 more cats in the back room of the residence;
• another dog and more chickens and ducks in cages and bins in the middle bedroom;
• four cats were observed in another smaller bedroom, which also contained a litter box filled with urine and feces;
• additional cat litter boxes in the back room, all filled with urine and feces.

“Imagine 100-plus cats roaming freely in a double wide mobile home. Imagine ducks and chickens stacked on top of each other four and five cages high that are now defecating and urinating through the open wire down onto the animals before them,” Judd said.

Lacharite surrendered all but three dogs and three cats, the sheriff said. The ducks, geese and chickens were brought to a small animal auction.

The SPCA has committed to taking the 22 cats she originally brought to them and will assist animal control with the others.

The number of animals found nearly doubles the population of the county’s shelters, Judd said.

He encourages people to adopt from the county to make room for these recently seized cats.

Adoption fees have been waived by the county through the end of the year. The county shelter reopens Wednesday following a Christmas break.