Salem Observer : animals

15 cats stored with live shell recovering

Salem Editor — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:17:00 GMT

Fifteen cats found living in a storage bin along with a live artillery shell on Monday, Oct. 6, are recuperating at the municipal animal shelter shared with the Salem Animal Rescue League.

Ray Denis, SARL director of development and shelter operations, said the town would retain control of the felines until their owner surrendered the animals. At that point SARL would take possession of the cats, move them into their regular feline shelter and begin the process of medical check-ups, neuterings and eventual adoption.

“They’re very comfortable right now and well cared for through the efforts of the town,” Denis said.

The cats are housed inside a string of pet cages lining the walls of the Salem’s animal shelter. Affixed on each cage is a sign warning shelter volunteers not to open the enclosures. Until the criminal investigation into the owner is finished, Denis said, the town is not allowing the rescue league to give input on how the cats are handled.

“If and when the case is won, they’ll be released to us,” Denis said. “It could only be short term, which would be better for them psychologically. In the meantime, they’re being well cared for.”

A Salem animal control officer discovered the cats after two customers of Uncle Bob’s Self-Storage at 134 South Policy St. reported both hearing and seeing them living in the storage unit on Saturday, Oct. 4. After an initially unsuccessful attempt to retrieve the cats over the weekend, managers at the self-storage again contacted animal control after hearing the animals crying on Monday.

According to Diane Piegza, a company spokesman, store managers then opted to perform an emergency access of the 10- by-20-foot storage unit. Sifting through what Piegza described as a “very, very full” storage unit to look for the animals, searchers were delayed when a large artillery shell was discovered instead, forcing the authorities to evacuate the facility as well as two nearby homes.

The New Hampshire State Police Bomb Squad removed the shell without incident.

With the artillery shell gone, animal control and store management resumed the search and discovered 13 cats living in the rear of the bin. While the animals had food and water available nearby, police described the conditions inside as deplorable.

According to the authorities, the cats had been living in the unit for two months without light or temperature controls.

Two more cats were discovered late Tuesday night, according to Denis.

Piegza said the number of cats inside came as a surprise to the storage facility’s management.

“We, at the time, sort of thought it got into one of the units, and we called animal control, and they came over and set traps to try and catch the kitty, thinking that however it got in, it got back out,” she said.

The case is currently under investigation by animal control. No charges have been filed.

The Salem shelter is preparing to take possession of the animals as soon as the town is ready to turn the felines over by taking steps to free up space inside their regular cat shelter. Denis said the shelter was pushing to get as many of the cats they have now adopted and out of the shelter by the time the case is concluded.

Balancing the influx of animals from this case with the animals already coming in from owners who can no longer afford their pets remains a challenge going forward, Denis said. At the moment, the cats rescued from the self-storage bin do not pose any significant strain on SARL’s shelter operations, but that could change down the road, he said.

Abutters don’t want Salem animal shelter in their neighborhood

Salem Editor — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:14:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

Residents of Brady Avenue again challenged a plan by the Salem Animal Rescue League to construct a new animal shelter in their neighborhood.

Raising concerns over traffic, noise, animal waste and odor, potential neighbors of the 15,000-square-foot shelter lined up at the Tuesday, June 24, Planning Board meeting to express their reservations about a project that is still in the conceptual phase.

Shelter architect Steve Jensen presented figures comparing the proposed building to other large structures in the area in a defense against criticisms over the proposed size and layout of the shelter.

Terry Perrino, of 70 Brady Ave., remained unconvinced and challenged Jensen’s figures while voicing concerns that the presence of the shelter would lower the value of his property.

“I’m still opposed,” he told the board. “I still don’t think they should have an animal rescue league on Brady.”

Jensen, who has designed shelters across the country, including one in Methuen, Mass., and another in Brockton, Mass., attempted to address the issues previously raised by neighbors and abutters at the April 21 board meeting, but failed to quell concerns from residents.

Changes to the original concept made by Jensen since the April meeting included adding a row of evergreens or shrubs along the property lines, adding fence to the dog play area and using a landscape finish for the proposed retaining walls for aesthetic purposes.

According to Jensen, more work needed to be done.

“We’re going to have to rescale (the shelter),” he said. “We’ll be in front of the board again.”

David Fredrickson, of 16 Brady Ave., called for a study of the impact of new traffic and criticized SARL for not yet applying for a permit for their proposed septic system and to build a driveway on a state road.

“I’m against this. It doesn’t fit,” he said. “We’ve been a quiet neighborhood and we haven’t asked much from the town. This is something the town could do for us, to preserve the tranquility that we now possess.”

SARL has been working with the town for more than six months to locate a site on which to build a new shelter, according planning director Ross Moldoff. The location on Brady Avenue was received from a benefactor and is one of several sites explored by the animal rescue league.

According to Valorie Hayes, director of marketing and media relations for SARL, the organization is currently operating out of three modular shelters. Five or six years ago, SARL had been informed that the land they operated on would be flooded and reclaimed for wetland use by the state and town, she said. At that point, the 15-year-old organization began searching for a new location.

Hayes called the previous meeting before the board “amicable.”

“Some of the neighbors expressed concerns. Everything was very amicable.

People that know us appreciate the work that we do,” she said. “I hope we’re able to address all the concerns to our abutters. SARL has always been a good neighbor.”

Woman sentenced for animal cruelty

Salem Editor — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:59:00 GMT

By Darrell Halen

A Salem woman was sentenced to spend a month in jail after being found guilty of five counts of animal cruelty.

Christine Harris, 54, was convicted of the misdemeanor charges on Wednesday, Jan. 9, in Salem District Court.

She was sentenced to six months behind bars, with five months suspended as long as she stays on good behavior for two years, according to court records.

Harris is also barred from having custody, possession or ownership of any dog for two years. She is appealing her conviction.

Harris was arrested in September for refusing to allow animal control officer Kelly Demers to inspect her trailer at 75 S. Policy St. and pushing a tow truck driver who was there to remove one of two unregistered vehicles on her property.

Harris’ trailer was condemned, and 50 dogs and two birds were removed. Authorities described squalid conditions of the trailer, including urine and *** throughout the dwelling.

Harris was acquitted of shoving the driver, one of two men sent by the trailer park’s owner to take away a pair of unregistered cars.

The driver was there, coincidentally, as Demers was attempting to serve his inspectional search warrant. In court, the charge of refusing to allow his inspection was placed on file without a finding.

Six days before Harris’ trial, the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, along with five humane organizations, became the owners of the dogs and birds.

The animals had been kept in protective custody for 16 weeks pending the outcome of Harris’ case. They are being put up for adoption.

Brian Lockard, the town’s health officer, determined in September that Harris’ trailer was unfit for habitation and could not be reoccupied until Harris corrected violations.

In a letter to Harris, Lockard noted that a strong odor of urine and *** permeated the trailer, 30 to 40 dogs were in cages and running loose throughout the dwelling, urine and fecal waste were on the floor and walls, water was not available in the bathroom sink, there were numerous flies, a large amount of trash and debris had accumulated, and the residence had damaged floors, walls, ceilings and exposed wiring.

Court records indicate that nine charges of failing to license dogs were dismissed, and four charges of having a dog that was a menace or nuisance were placed on file.

Family of four left homeless; two dogs die in blaze

Salem Editor — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:37:00 GMT

By Darrell Halen

A New Year’s Eve fire damaged a home on Meisner Road in Salem, displacing a family of four.

No family members were in the home, owned by Michael Dobeck, when the fire broke out, but four dogs were inside, according to Salem Fire Capt. Paul Leischner.

Two dogs were saved. The other dogs, including one that CPR was performed on, died.

On Monday, Dec. 31, a neighbor called 911 to report the fire at 6 Meisner Road. Rescue workers were on the scene around 10:20 a.m. and the fire was under control about a half hour later.

The fire appears to have originated in the back of the house on the first floor, Leischner said.

“There was heavy fire damage,” he said. “We knocked it down pretty quickly, but it was a pretty extensive fire.”

The house is not habitable now but it appears that it can be fixed, Leischner said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The American Red Cross came to the house to provide support to the family.

Windham and Derry firefighters provided mutual aid at the fire, while firefighters from Derry and Methuen, Mass., provided station coverage.

40 dogs removed from Salem trailer

Salem Editor — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 22:04:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

Approximately 40 dogs, including rottweilers and pugs, were removed from a Salem woman’s home that was condemned by town officials.

Christine Harris, 54, 75 South Policy Street, was arrested after she allegedly refused to allow the town’s animal control officer, armed with a search warrant, to inspect her trailer home on Friday, Sept. 14.

She is also charged with simple assault for allegedly pushing a tow truck driver who came to remove an unregistered vehicle from her home.

Deputy Police Chief Bill Ganley said cages removed from the trailer were dirty with ***.

“They were stacked on top of each other,” he said. “The air was very poor, not just for animals but for a human. It smelled like dog ***, a bad situation,” he said.

Animal control officer Kelly Demers had gone to Harris’ home and attempted to serve a search warrant to inspect the animals in her trailer.

According to Ganley, she did not answer her door, and when a tow truck driver arrived, she came out of her house and assaulted him.

She refused to allow Demers to enter the home, according to Ganley.

By refusing to allow him to do so, Harris committed a misdemeanor offense, according to police.

Ganley said that two tow truck drivers who came to the trailer were each there to remove an unregistered car from Harris’ property and were there independent of what the town was doing.

Water had been shut off to Harris’ trailer. Ganley said there appeared to be water jugs in a truck by the trailer.

Both charges against Harris are misdemeanors, punishable of up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. The animals are being cared for in area shelters.

“Results of the inspection – it’s unclear if we’re going to bring additional charges,” Ganley said. “We’re looking at animal cruelty issues.”

Ganley said that Demers previously responded to a call that animals were running loose from Harris’ property. When Demers went to talk with her, he could hear many dogs barking and wanted to know if she was operating a kennel, which has to be licensed.

Harris would not allow Demers to come inside, so he sought the search warrant, Ganley said.