Whew! that had to smell REALLY bad

The Houston Chronicle

Corpus Christi woman to keep 3 of her 237 dogs

CORPUS CHRISTI - A 70-year-old woman won't have to go without a
pet dog after having 237 of the animals removed from her house.
But she also won't be breeding dogs anymore, her lawyer said.

   Corpus Christi animal control workers removed the 237 dogs
from Alice Carlson's home last week after getting a complaint
from a workman who made a service call to the home.

   Carlson and city officials met behind closed doors for two
hours on Thursday to hammer out an agreement that will allow her
to keep three dogs of her choosing after they are spayed or
neutered.

   Nine of the dogs will go back to people who showed proof of
ownership and another dog will be given to Carlson's son, who
lives in Illinois. The remaining 213 dogs will be sent to several
area shelters.

   "I believe that this is the best possible solution," said Kelli
Copeland, Animal Care Services manager. "I know that she's a very
nice lady. Her concern was that these dogs got out to good homes."
    City officials said the dogs, most of them Pomeranians,
appeared to have food and water under Carlson's care, but they
were suffering from the close quarters. Many of them had to be
shaved because of matted hair built up with excrement.

   A city ordinance limits residents to six animals at their
homes unless they have a kennel license.

   Carlson's lawyer, David Sibley, said his client never intended
to harm any of the animals. She was "reasonably happy" with the
case's resolution, he said.

   "I think the city acknowledged that she is a lovely lady and
meant well," Sibley said. "It didn't rise to the level of
cruelty."

  As part of the agreement, Carlson will pay $8,500 to the city
for the cost of boarding and caring for the animals.

   "She's ready to move on," Sibley said. "She's finished
breeding."

   Copeland said the city received more than 200 applications
from people wishing to adopt the dogs.