Houston man forfeits more than 1,000 rescued animals, moves out of house
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
A man who owned more than 1,000 recently seized birds, gerbils and other animals has agreed to forfeit all but two of them to the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Thirty-four-year-old Joselito Rivera Boado also agreed Wednesday to vacate his northwest Houston house in 30 days and forfeit his house to the county. That’s in order to help satisfy $213,458 in medical and boarding costs for the animals that were seized by animal rescue personnel a week ago.
Assistant county attorney Linda Geffin says between 100 to 200 of the animals have died.
The SPCA has said the owners indicated they planned to sell the animals at flea markets.
No charges have been filed.
-- Associated Press
Related: The Houston SPCA’s blog post about this matter.
Top photo: Melvin Davis, left, and investigator Mark Lutkenhaus, right, are among SPCA workers unloading more than 1000 animals seized from a Houston area home by the SPCA Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009. The majority of the animals were a variety of birds including finches, parrots, duck, and chickens. Other animals included snakes, turtles, hamsters and gerbils.
Second photo: Marleny Alvarado, left, and Clay Hamilton, right, among SPCA workers unloading more than 1000 animals seized from a Houston area home by the SPCA Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009. The majority of the animals were a variety of birds including finches, parrots, duck, and chickens. Other animals included snakes, turtles, hamsters and gerbils.
Photo credits: AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Melissa Phillip