A team from Spirit Keeper Animal Sanctuary (SKAS) in cooperation with local authorities accomplished the emergency intake of 67 snakes and one African Grey Parrot from a confirmed animal hoarding and criminal neglect situation in the Midwest on April 15, 2025. The rescue comes after multiple failed prior intervention attempts.

Despite past offers for help and support, the individual repeatedly refused to accept help with her animals or to seek mental health support for themself resulting in unsanitary living conditions for them and their animals. This led to outright animal neglect which included a lack of clean habitats, no water, malnutrition due to no food for the snakes over several months, resultant illnesses and diseases, and mites with no veterinary care sought. Authorities met with the Spirit Keeper Animal Sanctuary emergency transport team and coordinated the safe removal of the animals to Spirit Keeper Animal Sanctuary in Colorado. The suspect cooperated with police, the humane society, and the Spirit Keeper Animal Emergency Response Team.

To be clear, this was not only an overwhelmed animal keeper as can sometimes happen, but a case of knowing and chronic neglect. Some of the animals were nearly dead and the suspect admitted to having had animals die in the past due to unsanitary conditions and disease, stating "I'm a bad keeper". The animals were housed in severely inadequate conditions, most without water despite there being running water in the home, and not having eaten in an undetermined amount of time. Many of the 67 snakes were determined to be emaciated and dehydrated by Dr. Liza Pfaff during their intake exam at Critter Care Animal Hospital, with a few being recorded as a 1 out of 9 Body Condition Score (BCS) with 1 being emaciated, 5 being normal, and 9 being severely obese. 

Various health issues were observed among the group including mites, scale rot, mouth rot (stomatitis), respiratory infection, muscle atrophy, weakness, neurologic symptoms in non-neurologic morphs, diarrhea, absence of stool, dry/old stool stuck in the snakes, abnormal ambulation, abnormal pupillary response, dehydration, and malnutrition. One snake with eye issues was referred to a veterinary ophthalmologist. 

Each animal is now on an individual veterinary care plan and all are being treated for mites via oral NexGard. Fecal samples were sent to the lab and additional follow up will be conducted as needed based on how the snakes do with feeding and how they respond to general rehab. We had one that was overwhelmed by his first meal, although it was very small, and went back to the vet on 22 April 2025 for re-examination.

We received reports that the resident reached out for assistance with cleaning the property and that law enforcement provided mental health referrals. Law enforcement will be following up to ensure compliance and that the resident does not reacquire animals 

The African Grey Parrot was transferred to the Gabriel Foundation where it will undergo extensive health checks, behavior assessments, and spend two weeks in quarantine before being offered for adoption. We are told there are people already waiting to adopt him and the Gabriel Foundation has a rigorous adoption screening and approval process.

https://thegabrielfoundation.org/

Veterinary costs are $80 per snake not including additional diagnostics and medications dispensed. That is a minimum of $5360 for the exams and additional for any that require fecal testing, medications, ultrasound, radiographs, oral cultures, or viral testing. Donations can be made directly to Critter Care Animal Hospital by calling 720-961-8550, they have set up a special account solely for these snakes under Spirit Keeper Animal Sanctuary.

Donations can be made to a general fund via PayPal Giving Fund for habitats, furnishings, snake supplies, food, cleaning supplies, hiring temporary staff as needed, travel expenses for the transport team, travel expenses to and from the veterinarian once to twice weekly, follow-up veterinary costs such as the ophthalmologist visit, and to cover cost to heat and/or cool the building housing this group of snakes as well as installation of monitoring devices. 

https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/1213006

As the snakes are behaviorally assessed, nutritionally rehabilitated, treated for mites, and cleared by the veterinarian the snakes are being offered for adoption. Potential adopters will need to fill out an application which will undergo screening and, if approved, the adopter will have to fill out an adoption contract with rigorous stipulations for the care of their new family member for life in a manner that provides stimulation, enrichment, a choice-rich life, and low-stress management while keeping Spirit Keeper Animal Sanctuary updated yearly on how the snake is doing. 

At the time of this news release (24 May 2025), 2 snakes have moved to a foster home, 1 has been adopted, 11 are pending adoption, and 18 are available for adoption. Many will have to remain with us for longer-term care.

Interested adopters please contact Trasi Judd, Tae Long, or Cait Mistral via Facebook Messenger. You can also email them at:

hootiefish@gmail.com 

ash.heart654@gmail.com 

caitwn@att.net 

Video Playlist with interviews and additional information about this operation:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNbZzsRecQ2YH8_d7Lk74AeRpEP6KtqW1&si=m1hWo8aBVX29gOnj

A note about animal hoarding

Animal hoarding is a pathological accumulation of animals in which the individual fails to provide minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, shelter, and veterinary care; fails to recognize the deteriorating condition of the animals and/or environment; persists in accumulating more animals despite that failure; and often denies the problem or refuses intervention or to relinquish the aniamls. The suspect in this case cooperated with police and voluntarily relinquished the animals. 

References:

1.  Guerra, S., Sousa, L., & Ribeiro, O. (2021). Report practices in the field of animal hoarding: a scoping study of the literature. Journal of Mental Health, 30(5), 646-659.

2.  Patronek, G. J. (1999). Hoarding of animals: An under-recognized public health problem in a difficult-to-study population.

3.  Prato-Previde, E., Basso Ricci, E., & Colombo, E. S. (2022). The complexity of the human–animal bond: Empathy, attachment and anthropomorphism in human–animal relationships and animal hoarding. Animals, 12(20), 2835.

4.  Stumpf, B. P., Calácio, B., Branco, B. C., Wilnes, B., Soier, G., Soares, L., ... & Barbosa, I. G. (2023). Animal hoarding: a systematic review. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry, 45(4), 356-365.

As of May 24, 2025, most of the snakes are still at Spirit Keeper Animal Sanctuary; however, all have seen our veterinarian, two have moved into a local foster home, one has gone to an adoptive family, and 11 are pending adoption and are schedule to depart the first week of June 2025. The remaining snakes fit into the following categories: adoptable now, adoptable in the future, permanent residents.