Nearly 100 exotic animals removed from home

MACUNGIE, Pa. — Humane officials are trying to figure out what to do with as many as 100 animals found in a house in eastern Pennsylvania. Many of them are exotic animals including reptiles, birds, and fish. Authorities also found dead animals in the house.

It was a wild scene at the home on Hillcrest Drive in Macungie.

The Lehigh County Humane Society pulled animal after animal out from inside the house. From snakes to exotic birds, pigs, dogs, rabbits and more.

Shelter manager Teisha Jones says the rescue mission took hours. "I've never seen anything like this," she said. Staff had to enter the home wearing masks and respirators borrowed from firefighters. She describes the conditions inside as deplorable, with urine, feces and countless animals living on top of one another.

"I wasn't able to breathe, your eyes start to burn, it gives you pain in your chest and your throat is burning," Jones told WFMZ. She says the situation not only is dangerous for the animals but to the community, too. "A constrictor of that size, you know a 15-foot constrictor, there are small animals that live in the neighborhood, young children; it's very dangerous."

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The rescued animals were then taken to the humane society where taking inventory and medical treatment will begin. The animals' conditions ranging from emaciated to dehydrated.

Jones says the humane society is looking for help with temporary placement. "We are looking for homes that are skilled and knowledgeable on handling different types of birds, different types of snakes," she said.

The rescue comes just days after the humane society took more than 60 beagles from a home in Upper Saucon Township, meaning space inside the shelter is already limited. "It was definitely again, breeding that got out of control and turned for the worse," said Jones.

No arrests were made Monday, but the county humane society says it plans to file animal cruelty charges Tuesday.

CNN/WFMZ