PORTLAND, Ore. — A woman who had 15 animals seized from her home in Portland's Lents neighborhood in late August has pleaded guilty to multiple charges of animal neglect.
On Nov. 21, Susan Long pleaded guilty to 15 counts of second-degree felony animal neglect for each of the 13 dogs and two cats. According to court documents filed in Multnomah County, Long acknowledged she was "unlawfully and knowingly fail(ing) to provide minimum care" to animals in her custody.
The 51-year-old was sentenced to 48 months of probation, along with a psychological evaluation and treatment, completing 16 hours of animal abuse education classes and not being able to own dogs or cats for 15 years.
In addition, Long may not be in contact with her neighbors or be allowed into an Oregon City pet food bank. She also has to pay $641.50 in restitution to said food bank.
According to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, multiple people had reported "malnourished animals and hazardous living conditions" at the home on 6319 Southeast 86th Avenue. A warrant was then issued to seize the animals Aug. 27, with police saying that "numerous dogs were found to be neglected and living in unsanitary conditions, with many in stacked cages." The animals were taken to the Oregon Humane Society for evaluation and treatment.
PHOTOS: Animals recovered in Lents
Neighbors told KGW that the time that though they made several complaints to animal services over the past few years, nothing was done until the district attorney's office got involved.
Neighbors, fearful of retaliation from Long, wished to remain anonymous, with several saying that they heard cats fighting with each other almost every night, the owner screaming at the dogs and the dogs barking, as well as odors that could be smelled from outside the house.
