128 Animals, a Third of Them Dead, Found Inside Nebraska Home, 2 Arrested -

Authorities have arrested two people on animal cruelty charges in connection with 128 neglected or deceased animals found in an Omaha, Nebraska, home last month.

In January, the Nebraska Humane Society (NHS) was granted a search warrant for the home and found 88 living and 40 deceased animals inside, KMTV reported. This added to a large influx of approximately 700 animals rescued by the local Humane Society in January, spreading its resources thin, according to a separate KMTV report.

The Omaha World-Herald reported police officers first noticed several animals that seemed to be living in bad conditions when responding to an unrelated call near the home. The Humane Society later received a search warrant to seize any animals appearing to be in distress. After the neglected and deceased animals were found at the property, felony warrants alleging animal cruelty were issued for 30-year-old Sierra Lang and 35-year-old Tramaine Thomas.

Steven Glandt, vice president of field operations for the NHS, told KMTV the search party found dogs, reptiles, birds, rats, a chicken and a pig inside the home. He said the conditions were just as the police had described to them.

“They were very disturbing conditions, also considering that humans were living there as well, it just was a bad situation for everybody to be in,” Glandt said.

“The Nebraska Humane Society would like to thank the Omaha Police Department, other members of the Fugitive Task Force, and the Douglas County Attorney’s Office for their assistance during this investigation and their commitment to the safety and wellbeing of animals in our community,” it said.

Glandt also told WOWT-TV the Humane Society was conducting forensic exams on the animals to provide prosecutors with evidence of injury and neglect.

According to KMTV, the seizure of the animals from the home was not the most dramatic one the NHS had to perform recently. In December, the group seized almost 600 animals from a home in Papillion. They were expecting only about 100 animals.

The local news station said the December seizure combined with the animals from the Omaha home have almost doubled the number of animals at the local shelter. This has put a strain on the Humane Society, which has had to spend more money on supplies for the animals and to pay its employees.

Since then, some animals have been sent to the Nebraska Wildlife Rescue or zoos while others are either in the process being prepared for adoption or are currently ready for adoption from the Humane Society, according to KMTV.