Woman gives up 297 pets for adoption

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Saying her biggest concern was for the animals, a Rochelle-area woman charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty for hoarding almost 300 dogs, cats and birds gave them up voluntarily Tuesday. At a forfeiture hearing in Dixon, Barbara Munroe, 65, said she wanted the animals to be adopted because she could not afford the $1,500 a week it was costing her for food, Lee County Assistant State's Attorney Andrew Bollman said.

His office had filed a petition to seek the money needed to feed, treat and shelter the pets. According to a cost analysis provided by TAILS Humane Society in DeKalb, which is caring for the animals, it would cost about $138,000 a month to care for the 106 dogs, 160 cats and 31 birds seized.

Munroe would have had five days to post the money, or the animals would automatically be forfeited and put up for adoption, Bollman said.

Because the hearing was a civil matter, the court could not assign her a public defender, and she appeared on her own behalf. She "was eager to have the animals adopted out," Bollman said. "She was coherent, presentable and very cooperative with us."

The day of her arrest, Oct. 12, Munroe was confused and belligerent, and had to be treated for lice and fleas at the jail. In addition to the 300 live pets, more than 200 cat carcasses, and two dead dogs also were found on the property, in the refrigerator, stuffed in barrels and lying on the floors of her rural home, which is in the process of being condemned.

She was taken from the Lee County Jail shortly after her arrest and is undergoing a mental evaluation at a local health care facility. Details on what treatment, if any, she is receiving are unavailable.

She has pleaded not guilty to 10 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and not caring for her pets; she has a pretrial conference Nov. 30.

There is a 100 percent recidivism rate for animal hoarders, and the state wants to make sure Munroe does not own animals ever again, Bollman said.

When the time comes to begin adopting the animals, the nonprofit's shelter's fees are $125 for adult cats and $200 for adult dogs. The shelter puts a high emphasis on conversations with potential owners, and a staff member will talk to them and fill out an adoption application and a contract.

"We don't have the resources to do home checks," said Beth Drake, director of TAILS. "We feel confident that we screen these people thoroughly enough to know that they can provide a good home for these animals."

Many of Munroe's dogs are blind, either by birth or neglect, Drake said.

"We've identified some health issues that are a little more significant than we initially thought," she said. "There have been some severe teeth issue and upper respiratory problems in the cats. We'll make placement decisions on a case-by-case basis."

Animals with special needs, either because of poor health or temperament, may be sent to a breed-specific rescue shelter or a licensed animal foster home, she said.

"It's clear to me that Barb was doing the best she could but got overwhelmed by things," Drake said. "Right now, our main concern is to make sure these animals are healthy and being cared for in the best possible way."

Reach Tara Becker at (815) 625-3600 or (800) 798-4085, ext. 570.

Reach Tara Becker at (815) 284-2222 or (800) 798-4085, ext. 570.