Remains of 240 Dogs Owned by Hoarder Finally Put to Rest

For decades, Judy Cahill hoarded and euthanized hundreds of dogs. Finally, some are being buried in a quiet, serene place with dignity.

In November 2009, animal hoarder Judy Cahill of Rockville, Maryland, was convicted of animal neglect in a shocking and disturbing case. Prosecutors say that during a 30-year period, the woman kept thousands of dogs at her home. According to the Huffington Post, she would place ads in the paper with offers to "rehome" dogs who needed an owner, then euthanize them. 

When authorities finally caught her, her home was covered in feces and full of crates with bent bars and trashcans full of dog carcases. Shelley Janashek was one of the first people to witness the devastation, and she was a witness against Cahill in the 2009 Montgomery County civil case. As they inspected the home they found the ashes of more 240 dogs. 

Janashek believes these were Cahill's "special" dogs, the ones she cared about enough to have cremated. Finally, four years after the gruesome discovery, the remains of these dogs finally got laid to rest in a peaceful, serene location, at the memorial park at the Baltimore Humane Society.

“Knowing they are at rest. That they weren't just sent to a trash dump, demolished along with the house -- that means something," said Janashek. 

Janashek presided over a funeral for the dogs at the park, who were buried in a plot donated by the Baltimore Humane Society. The grave will become a memorial to all the dogs who have suffered at the hands of Cahill.

Anne Lyon, who attended the funeral, told ABC2News.com, "I feel like I am doing something to pay homage to the animals and all the people who are making this possible, so that this can be an example for the people to know this kind of thing happens."

Janashek said that the number of dogs laid to rest represents a fraction of the total amount of dogs who died under Cahill. After discovering the ashes that remained, she held onto them for four years until she was able to secure a plot. 

"They are not trash,” Janashek said “They should not have been trash and they are not trash now. They are going to be buried in a beautiful place."

As for Cahill, she pleaded guilty and is barred from owning a dog for 10 years, and her name has been added to an online animal abuse database.

Via Huffington Post and ABC2News.com; photo via the Baltimore Humane Society Facebook unless otherwise noted

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Ever See a Grown Man Cry? Tell Him He Has to Give Up a Beloved Dog to an Accused Animal Hoarder

A woman accused of hoarding hundreds of animals in deplorable conditions is demanding to get one of her favorite dogs back.

A Kentucky woman charged with 200 counts of animal cruelty for hoarding hundreds of animals in deplorable conditions is jockeying to get back a couple of her favorite dogs and horses.

But at least one of those dogs won't be given up without a huge fight by her foster family.

Here's a photo of the mobile home where Terri Smith is accused of having kept hundreds of animals, both inside and outside. Apparently some of them were in as bad a condition as the mobile home.

This is the mobile home of Teri Smith, who was accused of keeping more than 200 animals in deplorable conditions both inside and outside.

Luckily most of the animals found good foster homes when they were taken away a few months ago. And the beautiful spaniel in the photo below went to a fantastic home. Steve and Jodie Judy and their family fell in love with her, named her Moto (after their favorite sport of motocross), and took her everywhere with them.

"I love her as much as I love my own kids," Steve Judy said in a report on WDRB-TV.

Moto's foster family deeply loves her. They'll do whatever it takes to keep her from going back to a woman charged with more than 200 counts of animal cruelty. (Image: WDRB-TV)

When the family heard that Smith, who pleaded guilty to one charge (you read right -- one out of more than 200), wanted a couple of dogs and horses back, they prayed Moto would not be one of them. But they got the dreaded phone call while shopping, and Jodie burst out crying in the store.

Steve Judy, as you can see in this photo, has a hard time talking about this without breaking down himself.

Steve Judy says Moto is like one of his own kids.

"She cannot go back to that lifestyle," he says. And he tells his dog while petting her with clear adoration. "It's okay, I promise, Daddy ain't going to let you go nowhere."

Smith is scheduled to be sentenced in court today for her one count of cruelty. The Judys will be right there to fight any official requests from Smith. If all goes well, they could adopt Moto once the case is settled. If things go badly ... let's not go there just yet. It's too sad to think about.

Check out this video, which was shot while Steve and Jodie and their three sons and two dogs were in the RV they travel in for motocross competitions. And if you happen to live near Henry County, Kentucky, and feel like heading to a courthouse today, the family could probably use a little moral support.

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