WASHINGTON: An Arlington, Virgina, woman whose house was condemned after police and humane officers discovered more than a dozen animals living in squalor last week faces additional animal cruelty charges after police found more cats inside. Florence Dowling, 67, told police she planned to move after a crew in hazmat suits took a dozen cats and a dog from her home in the 1800 block of Arlington Avenue last week. Officer Christine Luffey said Dowling recently returned to the condemned home and more cats emerged from the basement looking for food. Humane officers from Animal Friends, a shelter on Ohio Township, set traps Thursday and captured three more cats. Luffey said they will return with more traps for the others. Every animal discovered in the house, which was full of human and animal waste, will bring a summary charge of animal cruelty, Luffey added. On November 11, Dowling was charged with more than a dozen summary counts of animal cruelty and other charges, including harboring a nuisance, failure to show proof of rabies vaccinations, exceeding the number of pets allowed in the city and not having a license for her Bernese mountain dog. A building inspector said at the time that the house was unlivable and would be razed as soon as possible. He found holes in the walls, floors and roof as well as more than a foot of tar-like waste on the floors. Luffey said Dowling's is a “classic case” of hoarding behavior that went unnoticed or unreported for years. She encouraged neighbors to report similar behavior if they see it. BM
