Woman's illegal pet-breeding home raided

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EDMONTON, Alberta, April 3 (UPI) -- Humane society officials in Edmonton, Alberta, had custody Friday of 32 dogs and 10 cats found in a home-based breeding operation described as "sickening."

The society was summoned Wednesday night by a sewage contractor who became suspicious of the smell, sounds and barricades in the home, the Edmonton Sun reported Friday.

The man who asked to be identified only as George told the newspaper he and co-workers were aghast when they spotted the cages of animals.

"She had it hidden. She had it all barricaded off, you couldn't see, you could only hear it," he said. "And the smell ... I mean, we had to wear respirators in there, you just couldn't breathe. It was sickening."

Edmonton Humane Society spokeswoman Shawna Randolph said the dogs and cats were in deplorable condition.

"These animals were being housed in cages, very tiny cages, living in their own feces and their own urine," she said. "In many cases, these cages did not have water, did not have adequate food."

The unidentified homeowner is a woman in her 50s and "is expected to be charged with causing or permitting animals to be in distress," the Sun said.