Two juveniles and 13 animals removed from Beverly Hills home due to unsanitary living conditions
Photo graphic courtesy of CCSO.
Beverly Hills, Florida - On Wednesday, July 12, 2023, deputies and animal control officers with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to a Beverly Hills residence as the result of a complaint from a Code Enforcement official who was investigating junkyard conditions outside of the residence, such as the accumulation of junk and garbage.
Deputies were met at the door by Michael Clayton Howey, 36, and Brenda Darla Howey, 37, who advised deputies that they resided in the home with two children, ten dogs, and three cats.
When they entered the home, deputies noticed a strong smell of ammonia, items scattered about on the floor, feces covering several areas, including a sizable amount of dried feces inside the laundry room, which was also cluttered with other debris.
A CCSO press release stated that the people and animals were living in "utterly disgusting living conditions," that the two children had feces stuck to the bottom of their feet and between their toes, and deputies had to catch themselves to avoid slipping and falling, due the floor being wet from urine, and that garbage littered the entire house, which appeared to not have been cleaned for quite some time.
The two children were removed from the home and placed with family friends. The animals were transported to the Citrus County Animal Shelter.
Michael and Brenda Howey were arrested, each charged with thirteen counts of animal cruelty with a total bond of $13,000. They were transported to the Citrus County Detention Facility.
“It is sickening to me that there are so many irresponsible people out there who are not providing safe living conditions for their children or their ‘pets,’" said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. “No human or animal should be subjected to live in the abhorrent conditions as seen in this case, and thanks to the great teamwork by our animal control unit and code enforcement, these victims won’t be subjected to this neglectful environment again.”
About the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office’s Animal Control Unit:
Animal Control Officers (ACO’s) joined the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office on September 1, 2009, and are part of the Patrol Division Special Operations Unit. ACO’s respond to complaints involving domestic animals and livestock, including calls involving animals that are abused, dangerous, or a nuisance to the citizens of Citrus County. They have the authority to remove these animals and issue citations for violations of the county’s Animal Control ordinance.