New info: Pitt County Woman charged with 21 counts of animal cruelty and neglect

PITT COUNTY, N.C.- Pitt County Animal Control obtained 21 warrants for animal curelty and neglect against a woman who had more than 70 animals living in poor conditions that were  rescued from her home.

On July 11, animal control officers seized a total of 73 animals from Cathy Campbell's home including 15 dogs, 16 wolf hybrids and three cats who had to be euthanized due to medical conditions. 

Pitt County Animal Control director Michele Whaley told Nine on Your Side the animals were not in the best conditions.  Many of them were very dehydrated, had severe tick and flea infestation and some of them had mange and other different medical conditions.

Many of the animals were kept in cages that were too small for them.  And still others were left outside, tied to trees with no water and no shelter from the sun.

Campbell's court date has been set for September 22nd. Stay with Nine on Your Side for the lastest information in this

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PITT COUNTY, N.C.- A Pitt County woman may have gotten in over her head attempting to run an animal rescue facility out of her home.  After an anonymous tip- animal control officers recovered nearly 80 dogs, cats and wolf hybrids from the home. 

And because the Pitt County Animal Shelter, like most other shelters across the east are at capacity Monday’s raid of 76 animals including a rabbit, several cats and two hybrid wolves added insult to injury for shelter employees. 

"Every shelter in every community is overwhelmed each and every day with animals they are trying to find homes. So if you have a situation like this with a large number of animals in one residence that you have to take action on then it over burdens our shelters and our daily operations" Michele Whaley, director of the Pitt County animal shelter

Even though the woman, whose name has not been released, was trying to help, she is not accredited to rescue animals and keep them at her home and that frustrates Whaley.

"It's not good enough to release animals and not know where they're going to go or what the outcome's going to be.  It was easy for these animals to be released and then 76 of them end up in Pitt County at one residence which is way too many animals and gets over whelming very quickly," Whaley said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.   

As a group, Whaley says the animals were not in the best conditions.  Many of them were very dehydrated, had severe tick and flea infestation and some of them had mange and other different medical conditions.

Many of the animals were kept in cages that were too small for them.  And still others were left outside, tied to trees with no water and no shelter from the sun. 

About 20 of the animals are being cared for at the Pitt County shelter. The others are being housed in private boarding facilities paid for by the Humane Society of the United States. 

Each animal will receive a medical exam and will then be assessed for adoption.  Whaley says some of the animals are in need of rehabilitation and will be transported to no-kill shelters for assistance. 

Beaufort County Animal Control and the Humane Society of the United States assisted with Monday’s rescue operations.