CHANDLER, Ariz. — A Chandler city judge has denied April McLaughlin’s request to get back custody for some of 47 dogs that were seized from her home last month.
After a lengthy court hearing on Wednesday, the judge determined that the many dogs housed at McLaughlin's Chandler home were living in "unacceptable" conditions and rejected a request to return 13 of the dogs.
McLaughlin initially petitioned to get back all 47 living dogs that were seized by police but later narrowed down her request to only 13 dogs that she said had been under her care for many years.
Chandler police had found a total of 60 dogs at McLaughlin’s home, located near Pecos and Cooper Roads last month. Five dogs were found dead inside the kitchen freezer.
Officers executed a search warrant at McLaughlin’s home, where she was operating the Special Needs Animal Welfare League on Sept. 22nd. The homeowner was arrested and booked under 111 charges—55 counts of animal abuse, 55 counts of animal cruelty, and one count of vulnerable adult abuse, in relation to her mother who was also found living at the home.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office turned down the case, meaning they declined to formally charge McLaughlin, also known as Sydney McKinley, with the 111 counts, and sent the case back to Chandler police for further investigation.
The Arizona Humane Society took custody of the 55 dogs that were found alive inside McLaughlin’s home after the seizure. Days before the seizure, the homeowner surrendered two dogs to AHS, the agency told 12News. That brought the total to 62 dogs that at one point were living inside the 956 square feet home.
Investigators said the conditions inside the home where McLaughlin’s mother and the dogs were living in were deplorable, with high ammonia levels. Some of dogs were found to be laying on towels that were “caked with feces and urine.”
Five dogs later had to be euthanized because of poor health conditions.
Witnesses were called to testify Wednesday to describe the troubling conditions found throughout McLaughlin's home. Empty water bowls, stacked kennels, a yard full of debris and flies -- these were some of the images described during Wednesday's testimony.
A Chandler police sergeant told the judge that the petitioner warned her that the investigators wouldn't like what they were going to see before executing the search warrant at McLaughlin's home.
The sergeant further testified that the petitioner allegedly thought she was housing less than 30 dogs and appeared to be overwhelmed by the large number of dogs in the home.
McLaughlin presented no evidence during Wednesday's hearing. She argued that many of the dogs came to her already in a poor condition and insisted that she provided them food and shelter.
With the judge denying McLaughin’s request, she has the right to appeal the decision within 14 days and request a new hearing with the Maricopa County Superior Court.
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