The recent arrest of Linda M. Bruno, owner/operator of the Tiger Ranch Cat Sanctuary in Pennsylvania came as a shock to Logan County Humane Society Board members and the HS rescue volunteers.
Humane officials and Allegheny County Sheriff's deputies raided the animal sanctuary in Frazer on Thursday night. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says a team of workers rescued over 600 cats from the ranch. Animal welfare workers said they found hundreds of cats and other animals living in horrible conditions.
The Logan County Humane Society is deeply concerned and saddened to hear this devastating news. The Logan Humane Society has been utilizing the sanctuary for several month's transporting cats to the rescue to keep them from having to be euthanized.
“We had heard at the start of the winter that Tiger Ranch was in financial trouble,” said Bernadette Groves-Wright a Logan Humane Society Board member. “We stopped taking our cats there when Bruno put the ranch rescue operations on hold to regroup.”
“To hear this news has come as an absolute shock to all of us,” said Logan Humane Society director Delana Hoots who has traveled to the ranch in the past and said she never saw any of this coming.
In fact many board members and volunteers from Logan County had visited the facility and didn't see any evidence of anything untoward.
“We were all impressed with what we saw,” said Groves-Wright., “To hear this now, is heartbreaking.”
Logan Humane Society Board members believe the problems must have started soon after the ranch began experiencing financial trouble about seven months ago. This is when the Logan Humane Society made its last rescue trip there.
“Everything was fine. We went all over the property and nothing was out of order,” said Groves-Wright.
Pennsylvania SPCA CEO Howard Nelson said there were dead cats laying in litter boxes. "Cats were running up to us sneezing and falling over from dehydration,” said Nelson.
Officials also seized nine dogs, six horses and a goat from the facility.
Nelson says humane officers rushed 200 animals to a veterinary hospital Thursday, but several animals died before they got there.
According to reports there were burial pits found on the property where Bruno - over time - had been burying dead cats. There were also freezers full of dead cats.
Animal welfare workers are continuing their investigation calling it "one of the largest anti-cruelty raids of recent times"
The Tiger Ranch has been billed as a no-cage, no-kill sanctuary for cats. According to the welfare agency, Bruno has been charged with animal cruelty.
Director Hoots says this is just another reason for people to spay and neuter their pets. “I have been pondering over things I have read in the past 24 hours about The Tiger Ranch situation,” said Hoots adding. “One blurb I read came down to Who's Fault is it? Is it the irresponsible pet owner's, the shelter's, or the rescue's. One lady stated that all ultimately falls on the pet owners for dumping their problems off on their shelter repetitively litter after litter.”
Hoots said the animals found on the Ranch were those from communities such as Logan County. Large cat and kitten intake numbers which would only result in the euthanizing of hundreds each month, because their are not enough places and homes for these unwanted to reside.
“Just to spay or neuter your pet, assists others in so many ways,” said Hoots. “Spaying and neutering controls nuisance in neighborhoods, euthanasia rates in our local shelters, and the overall health of your companion animal. We have seen weeks of sending out 45 to rescues and having an intake the next week of 30 plus coming in. It's very important to be responsible and spay and neuter,” said Hoots.
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