Note:Sounds like there's some meddling going on to me.
Lauren Merryfield,
editor/publisher,
CATLINES
http://www.dailylocal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15377945&BRD=1671&PAG=461&dept_id=17782&rfi=6
Daily Local News - News - 10/13/2005 - CAT HOUSE
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10/13/2005
CAT HOUSE
JOHN ROSSOMANDO , Staff Writer
WEST NANTMEAL -- The township has decided to act on complaints of noxious odors emanating from a Manor Road home.
Township officials first received complaints about Phyllis Ruley, who uses her home as a temporary home for numerous cats and other animals in July, when
neighbor Shirley Van Scoy alerted township officials about the alleged smell coming from Ruley’s property.
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They charge Ruley uses her home as an illegal animal shelter.
"I went there on Monday in my pickup, and I could smell the cat urine from 50 feet away," said Supervisor Raymond Beiler. "I couldn’t count the number of
cats, but I could see at least 60, and I heard a goat because of its neighing."
Beiler said he went to examine the barn behind Ruley’s house, looked through the window and saw a dog and a goat in there.
"There were 30-some bags filled with bedding and feces," he said. "It looked like no one had been there. I picked them up, and they were completely rotten:
the bottom fell out."
He said he was barely able to withstand the smell.
"She says she lives there, but the zoning officer said the smell is so bad that no one could live there," Beiler said. "If I wasn’t a farmer, I don’t think
I could stand to be there."
Beiler also said he looked through Ruley’s window and saw numerous shelves between six and eight inches long, covered with cats.
About six neighbors showed up at Monday’s board of supervisors’ meeting requesting action.
Zoning Officer Russell Yerkes performed an on-site inspection afterward and said Wednesday, he plans to give Ruley a cease-and-desist order.
"It comes down to having offensive odors that spread beyond property lines, and the outdoor storage of materials that need to be screened from view from
any public right-of-way," Yerkes said. "There is a refrigerator, a van and miscellaneous debris in the front yard."
Yerkes also cited Ruley for not placing her trash inside "vermin-proof" garbage cans as part of the order.
Ruley, who works for Frazer Animal Hospital, disputes claims that she is operating an illegal animal shelter as well as the contentions about the odors
emanating from her property.
"It is one neighbor who started all this," she said. "The SPCA has been out two or three times, and they never cited me. They said they couldn’t smell anything."
"No one has ever come and knocked on my door, from either my neighbors or the township; instead they do this all behind my back."
She admits her trash, filled with cat litter and feces, smells somewhat, "but what trash doesn’t smell?"
Ruley said individual cats only stay in her home for a couple of days, maximum, before they are either adopted or placed into foster care. The animals receive
care at her expense for orthopedic, cardiac and other problems.
"They could be there for either a day or a week," she said. "No one is going to deny there is a slight animal smell in my house, but I keep my house clean,
there (is no feces) on the floor."
She says that she and an assistant care for the animals, making sure their litter is fresh and clean, on an almost daily basis.
"In all of this, we have just been getting one side," Ruley said. "No one has talked to my vet."
Laura Paxson, a woman who works with Ruley at the animal hospital, said she has stayed overnight in Ruley’s home recently, but she claims that she could
not detect any overpowering odors.
"I watched her animals when she went away to Las Vegas in August (and more recently), and I slept in the upstairs bedroom," Paxson said. "I get really allergic
when there is even one cat in the room, and I can tell you that I slept fine when I was up there."
Paxson said Ruley does everything she can to keep her home sanitary in spite of the countless cats she has in her home.
"She has an extreme cat enclosure with shelving, and it is the best cat room that I have seen," she said.
"There is no poop on the floors and she uses pine litter that she changes almost every day. We scrub the litter boxes with a hose and bleach-water every
other day."
Paxson said the trash is always double-bagged to prevent it from falling everywhere when it is moved.
The Chester County SPCA corroborates Ruley’s claims about her animals’ treatment and about the conditions inside her home.
"It is a tough situation, and I don’t want to sound like I am not sympathetic with the neighbors’ concerns," said Chester County SPCA spokesman Chuck McDevitt.
"We didn’t find any instances of animal cruelty, and we are working with her to bring the number of animals down."
McDevitt said the SPCA’s inspectors found that Ruley’s place was "relatively clean" when they were inside and that the animals had received all of their
proper vaccinations.
Ruley said she receives 20 bags for each time her garbage collector picks up her trash, and she cannot place the bags inside "vermin-proof" garbage cans
because her trash hauler would have to remove the bags and count them.
Yerkes said how Ruley complies with the order is her problem.
"There are multiple types of trash hauling," he said.
"She could get a Dumpster. The problem lies on her end, and it can be taken care of."
Click to learn more...
©Daily Local News 2005
I find it curious to be labeled a 'meddler' by someone who knows NOTHING of my neighborhoods situation. We are not a close knit neighborhood - we are one of the most rural in Pennsylvania. The families who are active in resolving this situation have no previous history of socializing and come from hugely different backgrounds. Only two of the are related. Residents who previously had butted heads on a regular basis are finding themselves aligned with the Township Supervisors who are disgusted with the situation.
Meddling? If you love cats, you would be trying to help these cats.
I live next door to the animal hoarder. This is similar to living next door to a crack house. There are over two hundred cats and goats - yes, goats- in the house, a bird room and a barn full of dogs in cages. Photos are available to you if you would like to see them - the images keep me up at night.
Are you curious how this affects a neighbor? Well, let's see - first there are the flies, rats, trash and odors you can smell from hundreds of feet away. Then of course there are the ferral cats who were released that killed all the songbirds (see FLIES). Oh, then there is the fear of contaminated ground water - fecal coliforms in our wells, you know, from the toxic organic matter in decaying trashbags lying all around the place. Did I mention odors? Not just ammonia, not just feces, but carrion. Read that the smell of death. Then, there is the feeling that my own dog's sudden onset of anxious behavior might have something to do with the anquished barking of the dogs in the barn and the smell of death that he must be acutely aware of. And then again, there is that lost sleep where you think about the animals in their filthy cages all night. And all day. And the next day and the next night. And then, of course, there is the helpless feeling as each day goes by and nothing gets done. Oh, and the local volunteer fire company that has had to make a policy statement that they will NOT go in the building if it catches fire. You understand. You don't want humans to die, trying to save 200 cats or to be injured by the poisonous, explosive gasses that might be released.
And there are the nagging doubts - is the owner there? Is she alive? Has the property been abandoned? How long has she been gone, this time? You have a life, but there is a constant background hum as, yes, another day goes by and nothing gets done.
Months of this.
And then there is the stonewalling by the SPCA, territorial battles between animal welfare agencies that are all about being right and not what their mission is. And the very real possibility that one of them will inherit 200 or more diseased, unsocialized, traumatized animals that will have to be held til the court case is over. If there ever is one.
Or be put down. Maybe because of you. Because you made an issue of something that seemed so wrong, but maybe if things are taken care of, these animals die. Be careful what you wish for.
Your name in the newspaper, over and over again, associated with something bad that you fear no one understands. Attention you did not want. (you can read about this situation if you just google PHYLLIS RULEY.)
Oh, and the financial impact this has on each and every homeowner. Our neighborhood is tainted. Our equity in our homes is gutted. It's like someone reached into our pocket and took out hundreds of thousands of dollars. All the care and attention and money we have put into our homes matters not at all.
And then - there is the cat you suddenly own. That, because you are a responsible pet owner, requires vaccinations, spaying, food, litter, and de-fleaing. This strains your emotions and your pocket book. This new cat has cost hundreds of dollars. How can one person OVER THERE be taking care of hundreds?
And now it's getting colder. Another day goes by, another night and some animal dies, or some animal gives up, or another one just hangs on for another day. More come in, in cages. More go out in bags.
And then there are the phone calls. Hundreds of them, agencies, gov't officials, neighbors, friends, collegues. News that this one will help, this one has a connection. And mostly, people help you by giving you lists of things you can do. People YOU can call. And tell the story again.
We hope that the actions we set in motion will bring about a resolution in our case -these animals are almost lost, but this will happen again and again in other neighborhoods.
Having concerned, sad and frustrated neighbors labeled meddlers by people who do not even ASK them what it is like for them is not helpful. It's not a common problem - only between 800 and 1000 cases a year nationally, but the environmental, financial, emotional impacts on communities is immeasurable.
Posted by: Shirley Van Scoyk | January 19, 2006 at 05:38 AM
Its such a shame bad things happen to good people. Ive worked w/ Phyllis for 3 years and have been to her house many, many times, includin to help her move in. Never once have a found any of her animals to be living in bad conditions or neglected. In fact i have not only helped her care for her animals but have also personally cared for them while she was away.
Phyllis is the most loving, caring, person i have ever met. She goes out of her way to find homes for animals who otherwise would be euthinzed. For years now, Phyllis has extended her arms out to abused, neglected, and handicapped animals. Every penny she makes goes into the care and adoption of her rescue which sometimes includes very costly vet bills.
Its really ashame how much heat she is getting from people who have never even been inside. Im begging everyone to read between the lines! This is nothing more then a group of people w/ too much time on there hands trying to ruin a persons life. This rescue IS Phyllis's life. If her neighbors are so concerned about the welfare of phyllis' rescue then how come they dont put on a pair of gloves and help her. Instead they go and complain to anyone who will listen which makes them sound like nothing more then bitter old women. How does that help anything? If they do suceed in ruining Phyllis then her animals will be torn from their homes and the one person in this world who took them in. They will be sent to spca's who will euthinize them. Does that sound like the thinking of someone who really cares about animals?
Phyllis is a good person and i can only hope that more people will realize the true story before its too late. Please help!
Posted by: Laura Paxson | August 13, 2006 at 05:33 PM
One more thing...
I would like to point out that in Shirley's comment there was not one true fact. Its really ashame that a grown woman has to lie as much as a teenager.
Phyllis never lets (or in shirley's words "released") any of her cats and her dogs only go out in the back pasture on a leash so its probably someone elses cats who are killing the bird (if thats even true since i definitly saw a ton of birds while over there).
There is no bird room in Phyllis house. She has one bird, a one-legged cockatiel who sits above her tv in a cage. Its not a surprise that Shirley didnt know that since she has NEVER once stepped into Phyllis' house!
The SPCA came into Phyllis' house at least 4 times and never cited her once. They also took a count of all of her animals and there are NOT "200 cats and a barnful of dogs"! She does have a lot of animals but everyone is well kept after and she would NEVER EVER take on more then she could care for.
As far as the smell...Ever been into a house that has multiple cats? Can you smell them? Yes! Does that mean poop and urine is smeared on the walls?! no! Phyllis does everything she can to control the situation. She double bags her trash and buys animal safe airfreshner and bleach but of course she cant help the "accidents" that happen while shes at work. All she can do is clean them up once she gets home. As for Ms. Shirley smelling death...that is absolutly rediculous! Phyllis isnt crazy! She doesnt sleep next to a roomful of rotting corpses! When an older animal dies she brings it into work to be cremeted. In fact she has a seprete account w/ the cremation place that Frazer Animal Hosp. uses.
I really wish that Shirley would look more into the facts before creating fictions. Doesnt she realize that shes playing w/ the lives of dozens of animals? How dare she act like she cares!
Posted by: Laura Paxson | August 13, 2006 at 05:53 PM
One more thing...
I would like to point out that in Shirley's comment there was not one true fact. Its really ashame that a grown woman has to lie as much as a teenager.
Phyllis never lets (or in shirley's words "released") any of her cats and her dogs only go out in the back pasture on a leash so its probably someone elses cats who are killing the bird (if thats even true since i definitly saw a ton of birds while over there).
There is no bird room in Phyllis house. She has one bird, a one-legged cockatiel who sits above her tv in a cage. Its not a surprise that Shirley didnt know that since she has NEVER once stepped into Phyllis' house!
The SPCA came into Phyllis' house at least 4 times and never cited her once. They also took a count of all of her animals and there are NOT "200 cats and a barnful of dogs"! She does have a lot of animals but everyone is well kept after and she would NEVER EVER take on more then she could care for.
As far as the smell...Ever been into a house that has multiple cats? Can you smell them? Yes! Does that mean poop and urine is smeared on the walls?! no! Phyllis does everything she can to control the situation. She double bags her trash and buys animal safe airfreshner and bleach but of course she cant help the "accidents" that happen while shes at work. All she can do is clean them up once she gets home. As for Ms. Shirley smelling death...that is absolutly rediculous! Phyllis isnt crazy! She doesnt sleep next to a roomful of rotting corpses! When an older animal dies she brings it into work to be cremeted. In fact she has a seprete account w/ the cremation place that Frazer Animal Hosp. uses.
I really wish that Shirley would look more into the facts before creating fictions. Doesnt she realize that shes playing w/ the lives of dozens of animals? How dare she act like she cares!
Posted by: Laura Paxson | August 13, 2006 at 05:53 PM