A Muskogee County woman, Lindsey Brashear, has been arrested after deputies found more than 100 dead animals on her property.
The property owner, who had a verbal lease with Brashear and another resident, Kasey Clay, came to the property on Thursday, June 2, and noticed several dead cows.
Clay then called the sheriff's office.
The charges and the investigation
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When deputies arrived, they obtained a search warrant and discovered at least 104 dead animals, including 103 cattle and one dog.
Some of the animals were in ponds and creeks, and others had been dragged and stacked in a pile by a stolen tractor.
Deputies also had to call a veterinarian to euthanize a calf, which was then transported to OSU in Stillwater to determine if the animals were suffering from some sort of disease or malnourishment.
Brashear have been charged with 150 counts of animal cruelty, plus 104 counts of unlawful disposal of a carcass and concealing stolen property.
She is being held in the Muskogee County Jail for animal cruelty, as per Fox23 News.
The investigation is ongoing and the sheriff's office is working with the district attorney's office to prosecute the case.
The possible motive behind hoarding animals
Animal hoarding is a complex phenomenon that involves keeping a higher-than-usual number of animals as domestic pets without the ability to properly house or care for them, while at the same time denying this inability, as per Wildlife Informer.
Animal hoarders often have a strong attachment to their animals and may feel intense anxiety about giving them away, even if properly caring for them has become impossible.
There are different types of animal hoarders, but one common type is the overwhelmed caregiver, who may be socially isolated and falsely believe that their situation is the result of a recent change in their circumstances, such as financial problems or health issues.
They may also lack awareness of the harm they are causing to their animals and themselves.
Animal hoarding is considered a psychiatric disorder that requires treatment and intervention.
It is not a sign of maliciousness or evil intent, but rather a symptom of mental illness that affects both humans and animals.
In 2019, a woman in New Jersey was charged with animal cruelty after authorities found 44 dead dogs in plastic bags in her freezers and more than 100 dogs living in deplorable conditions in her home, as per Taylor and Francis Online.
In 2018, a couple in Texas was arrested after police discovered 276 dogs on their property, many of them sick, injured, or malnourished. The couple claimed they were running a rescue operation, but they were actually hoarding the animals.
In 2017, a man in Wisconsin was sentenced to probation and community service after pleading guilty to mistreating animals. He had 40 live cats and 12 dead ones in his apartment, along with feces, urine, and garbage.
These are just some examples of animal hoarding cases that have been reported in the media.
According to a survey by Gary Patronek, animal control agencies have estimated there are approximately 3000 reportable cases of animal hoarding annually in the United States.
Animal hoarding cases vary in size from fewer than 20 animals to hundreds of animals. Every case of animal hoarding results in suboptimal animal welfare.
