Owner of Critterville Animal Shelter, Hernando, FL, arrested on 39 counts of animal cruelty
Photos courtesy of CCSO.
Hernanda, Florida - Last week, deputies and Animal Control Officers with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office responded to a residence off East Yale Lane in Hernando as the result of a call for service requesting a well-being check on animals located at the home, which is also the location of an animal shelter called Critterville. For several years, Animal Control Officers (ACOs) have been monitoring this residence,
When they arrived at the residencs, deputies and ACOs were led to the backyard, where they discovered several dirty sheds and enclosures, where most of the animals were housed. Officers noticed a strong odor of ammonia and found urine-soaked floors, overflowing litter boxes, and fecal matter scattered across nearly every surface. Several cats were extremely sick, covered in fleas, with urine and feces matted into their fur. When officers opened one cage, they found a cat that appeared to have been deceased for quite a few days.
The patio, cluttered with debris, had extremely small cages that contained five dogs. Next to the cages was a refrigerator filled with rotten food and dead maggots. When officers opened the freezer door, they discovered two deceased cats that were wrapped in blankets and closed with zip-ties.
Inside the home, officers found several dogs and cats with oily, matted fur, infested with fleas. Most of these animals were sick with numerous medical issues. Inside a room in the back of the house, thirteen more cats were found, also covered in fleas.
All of the animals at the residence were seized and transported to the Citrus County Animal Shelter for evaluation. A total of 42 animals, 35 cats and 7 dogs, were rescued from the residence. 56-year-old Lisa Bennett was placed under arrest and charged with 39 counts of animal cruelty and four counts of aggravated animal cruelty. Her bond was set at $47,000.
"It's disturbing to see animal abuse and neglect cases in Citrus County. This is an inexcusable act," said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "This so-called shelter is undeniably repulsive to see. I am proud of our ACO team for vigilantly following up on this case, and thankful for our partnership with the Citrus County Animal Shelter. These teams work endlessly to assist these helpless animals and provide them with the proper care that they deserve."
Animal Control Officers are available to respond to routine calls for service between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm every day of the week, including holidays. Emergencies are responded to 24/7. Requests for service should be made to the CCSO Communications Center at 352-249-2790 or by dialing 9-1-1.
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