Woman Found Living in Van With 29 Animals
I saw this story on my local news station last night. The woman was arrested in Belleville, IL which is about an hour and a half or so from where I live. I would like to share with you what I know about the story so far.
The woman, Cheryl Dashke who had previously been arrested and charged with animal hoarding, was arrested again this past weekend by Swansea police. They received and anonymous tip that led them to the van where Ms. Dashke was livingwith 29 cats and 1 dog. The tip probably saved the animals’ lives.
Volunteers from the Belleville Humane Society spent most of their Sunday carefully removing the animals from the van. The animals are now in isolation awaiting an examination by a state veterinarian and photographing by the police. Shelter volunteers described the animals as being in “horrible shape.”
The cats had no food, water, or litter boxes in the van and many of them are now suffering from upper respiratory infections. The cats’ fur was so soaked with urine that the ammonia smell made it incredibly difficult to pick the animals up.
As of 5pm Tuesday night (5-27) no charges had been filed and volunteers at the Humane Society were waiting for Dashke to sign release papers for the animals to be put up for adoption. So far, Dashke has refused so the animals are not available for adoption yet.
In 2000, Dashke was charged with hoarding 127 animals in a small trailer. The large amount of media attention prompted Illinois to pass a statue requiring psychological counseling for anyone declared by the courts to be an animal hoarder. Dashke appeared to be homeless and living in her van with her animals.
The sad thing about this case is that she was arrested once for the exact same thing less than 10 years ago. People who hoard animals will continue to do so. They have the thinking that they are helping these animals and they love them. It is just absolutely impossible to care for 29 animals when you are living in a van and have no money.
It is my hope that this woman gets counseling for her problems and that she is able to have a normal life and not put animals’ lives in danger. It is such a sad story because no one wins. Most of the animals were in very poor shape and every one of them required medical treatment of some kind. Chances are these poor animals will spend some time at the shelter getting their strength back and I am really praying she signs the paper releasing the animals for adoption.
The only thing that will help her is counseling, she needs to understand that she is not giving the animals what they need and that she is not able to care for them at all. If any of you have any stories from your local towns about animal hoarders, please share them. Also, I want to say thank you to the anonymous tipster that led police to her. You saved the lives of those animals.
Thanks for reading!! As always your participation in comments and discussions are encouraged and greatly appreciated!
May 29th, 2008 at 07:05 am
Very Sad. Poor Lady and Poor Pets.
Right, This is wrong.Dear Its really impossible to take care of 29 pets alone.
Def the women should get counseling for her problems.
June 2nd, 2008 at 04:30 pm
I just feel bad for the pets, not the hoarder. People can be so stupid. And now she has the nerve to not even sign over the animals for adoption? She cant even take care of herself but she is going to be too stupid and selfish to give up those poor defenseless animals? And guess whose tax dollars will pay for her state-ordered counseling? OURS. Its sickening. People disgust me.
June 10th, 2008 at 03:28 am
What is wrong with that woman…I think she is mentally sick…. Something is wrong with her… How can she let living creatures live around her with no food and water. She has lost her sense of humanity….
June 11th, 2008 at 01:51 am
nice post