Missouri-couple-charged-after-officals-find-more-than-1000-animals
ST. CHARLES, Mo. — A Missouri couple whose “extremely filthy” family home was overrun with reptiles and rodents was charged with child endangerment.
Officers found Michelle Higgins, 36, and Anthony Higgins Sr., 37, living with 157 snakes and lizards, about 1,000 mice and rats and mealworms in the St. Charles County home they shared with their two children, a girl, 13, and a 15-year-old boy, the Kansas City Star reported.
One deputy who went into the house was so overcome by the smell in the property he ran outside to vomit and had to use an oxygen tank and mask to complete his investigation.
“All I can tell you is the sheriff’s deputy that went in gagged and had to go outside and throw up,” county spokesman John Sonderegger told KTVI. “Then he came back in with oxygen from fire and rescue people. And the state family and children’s services worker got in there and she got sick, too, so it was a mess.”
Officials went to the home Saturday after receiving reports about possible child neglect and found the home in “extremely filthy condition,” according to court documents.
The couple told a deputy that the house had been in the same condition for two years, the Kansas City Star reported.
They reportedly said that they were aware that it was the wrong environment for their children but did not want to remove the animals.
The Higgins got the animals out of the house by Monday and the children were being cared for by relatives while the charges against the couple were being dealt with.
Click here for more on this story from the Kansas City Star.
Now that’s just too many pets. I know people say their pets are more family then a pet but there has to be a limit by law and by the owners as well. What are they doing breeding mice then feeding the mice to the snakes. I know all those pets dont have names lol! Might as well open a pet store right? and there were children living in that home? OK clearly the Higgins need to get it together. This reminds me of that tv show hoarders.