94 Animals, 1 Teenager Removed From “Filthy” Alexandria Home
ALEXANDRIA, Ind. — An Alexandria woman is facing neglect charges after her 13-year-old daughter and 94 animals were removed from her home.
Nancy L. Clemmer, 58, has been charged with neglect of a dependent, neglect of a vertebrate animal and harboring a non-immunized dog.
Since June 3, Alexandria police responded to 15 complaints about animals that escaped Clemmer’s property. Clemmer told police she wanted to turn the property — which contained one large house and one small house — into an animal rescue.
The large house, which had 10 bedrooms, was used exclusively for the animals. Police say birds, dogs and goats were allowed to roam freely within the large house. Meanwhile, Clemmer and her daughter lived in the small house.
Clemmer’s daughter — who was described as “filthy” in a probable cause affidavit — was removed from the home and put into foster care on July 29. Police also removed the 94 live animals, which included: 21 dogs, 21 guinea pigs and nine chickens, which were all taken to animal rescues. Also found on the property were three pigs, six lizards and three chinchillas.
Police then called the Madison County Board of Health, which condemned the property the next day.
Clemmer was given 14 days from July 30 to improve the cleanliness of the property. However, as of Aug. 18. police say the property only accumulated more trash.
On Aug. 13, police tried to make contact with Clemmer about the health of her animals, but she refused to answer the door. That same day, police were granted a search warrant that let them seize the animals and send them to rescue facilities.
The odor and fumes were so overwhelming, police had to request full face masks and air bottles from the Alexandria Fire Department.
Inside the larger house, police found several dead animals, including a raccoon in a food bin, a guinea pig in a trash can and a trough containing six decomposing baby chickens. In the smaller house, two decomposing ferrets were found in a cage, in addition to several dead dogs and a dead macaw.
Clemmer told police she had also thrown away approximately eleven other deceased guinea pigs.
