Animal Services officials said they investigated one of the worst cases of animal cruelty they've ever seen Friday night. Neighbors in the Reddick neighborhood said they had no idea what was happening on a piece of secluded property until a Progress Energy worker stumbled upon hundreds of dead and neglected animals.
"I heard a lot of exotic birds and dogs," said Jennifer Odom, whose family lives nearby.
Odom said she would never have imagined that what she heard coming from the house next door in Reddick would be what investigators said they found on owner Ignacio Dulzaides' 50-acre property. "There were dead animal carcasses in cages right next to animals that were alive," said Elaine De Iorio, of MCAS.
Investigators said they discovered more than 348 dead animals and 375 live animals on the man's property.
"There were dead animals wrapped in plastic bags and placed in freezers," De Iorio said. "There were dead animals kept in feed bags." Officials said they seized 151 dogs, six cats, 156 birds, 20 sugar gliders, seven tortoises, five hamsters, two rabbits, two bearded dragons, 16 cattle, five sheep and five horses.
Investigators said Dulzaides told them he just couldn't stop hoarding.
"They collect items and collect and collect and collect," De Iorio said. "It becomes a bigger problem when animals are dying because they're not able to care for them."
Some puppies that survived were starving for food, officials said, and others starving for attention. "That's unbelievable," Odom said. "Something's wrong … seriously wrong." Deputies took Dulzaides in for psychological evaluation. He was arrested three times in the 1990s on animal abuse charges.
Investigators said they're working to build an animal cruelty case against him.
Animal Services will try to get custody and nurse the animals back to health. They could be up for adoption in about a month or so. To inquire about adopting or fostering any of the animals, call Marion County Animal Control at 352-671-8700. MCAC is also taking donated items for the animals.
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