Mar 14, 2008 11:48 pm US/Eastern
Officials Continue To Gather Animals At Sanctuary
TARENTUM (KDKA) ―
The investigation continues today after the seizure of hundreds of cats and other animals Thursday night during a raid on an animal sanctuary located in Tarentum.
Allegheny County police say they have sealed off the 'Tiger Ranch Cat Sanctuary' on Miller Road in Frazer Township where they are still trying to round up more than 700 cats.
In addition, officials with the Pennsylvania SPCA say they have also seized nine dogs, six horses and one goat from the property.
The SPCA has identified the owner of the property as a woman named Lin Marie, who also goes by the name Linda M. Bruno, 45. Officials have now charged Bruno with 14 counts of cruelty to animals.
She was arraigned earlier today.
Officials say Thursday's raid at the sanctuary came after a month-long undercover investigation carried out by former Butler County humane officer, Deborah Urmann. However, Urmann was not working in that capacity at the time of her investigation.
Urmann says local animal control officers did not believe her suspicions about the ranch so she started volunteering and used a hidden camera to document what she found.
"I did everything legally and I did what I did to save those animals that were suffering," said Urmann. "I had many animals die in my arms on that property and I was going to make sure that it ended."
Officials say last night's raid led to the discovery of many dead or dying cats, a freezer full of dead cats and a burial ground.
"There's burial pits on the property where she, over time, has been burying dead cats," said PSPCA CEO Howard Nelson. "There were freezers full of dead cats."
Urmann told KDKA the Bruno had a room where she would leave the ailing cats to die.
"Instead of going to the vet, there was a dark, dank room in the garage-type building where those animals were placed with no vet care and left to die," added Urmann.
But in the criminal complaint, Bruno told police, "We don't euthanize animals here. When they are very ill, I put them in the isolation room and yes they do die."
And Bruno's friends and supporters say they can't believe she has been arrested.
"Instead of coming in like commandos and raiding her place why weren't they helping," says Bruno's friend, Linda Haus. "She tried to help everything that was brought here. She would find boxes of cats left on her doorstep, other agencies brought her cats that they felt they couldn't place and she took them in and tried to help them."
Meanwhile, KDKA's Andy Sheehan reports that Allegheny County humane officers, acting on complaints, conducted a full investigation of the ranch in July of 2006.
Officials say their report found no violations, adequate food and water were provided to the animals and they received proper veterinary care.
Also, officials say a humane officer returned to the ranch in August 2007 for another inspection, and she reported conditions to be sanitary. She also reported on observing a veterinarian on-site administering proper medication to sick animals.
The investigation continues.
Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.
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