- Florida, USA -
On the evening of Wednesday, December 7, 2022, deputies with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office responded to an address in Beverly Hills about an animal cruelty complaint.
In a news release, the sheriff's office said that immediately upon entering the residence, deputies were “overwhelmed by the pungent smell of ammonia.”
Inside the property, officials found several cages and glass aquariums containing snakes and rodents as well as cats and rats running freely.
As stated in the release, “The build-up of fecal matter and urine in the house and cages caused an infestation of flies, roaches, and other bugs.”
Deputies also found dirty dishes, trash, and rotten food scattered throughout the residence.
In one bedroom, deputies discovered a cage containing a ferret and another cage with a dog inside. Both animals did not have any food or water, the dog’s cage was too small for the furbaby’s size, and the ferret’s cage was littered with urine and feces.
In a second bedroom, there was a child, the mattress was covered with roaches, and the floor was covered with trash and had some blood “created by the loose cats eating a rat.”
A third bedroom was housing “approximately 50 rodents in cages in addition to over 300 other rodents roaming freely.”
Citrus County Sheriff’s Office animal control officers removed seven cats, one dog, and one ferret from the property. The sheriff’s office said the house has been secured for further investigation and the removal of the other remaining animals.
In connection with this case deputies arrested 38-years-old SHANNON MARIE MORGAN (pictured) and charged her with 12 counts of animal cruelty and one count of child neglect.
Online records show that MORGAN is being held at the Citrus County Detention Facility on a $26,000 bond. According to court records, MORGAN will be arraigned by Judge Joel D. Fritton on January 5, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.
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