Children taken from 'filthy' home

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer

KAHALU'U — An animal cruelty case led police to remove three children from their home yesterday.

Police removed two girls, ages 9 and 12, and a 14-year-old boy from a Mahakea Road address where the family bred dogs.

The Hawaiian Humane Society had removed 64 dogs from the premises Saturday after determining that the dogs were living under unacceptable conditions, said Humane Society spokeswoman Jacque Smith. The organization had tried to work with the animal owners for two weeks but was unable to get the conditions improved, Smith said.

The Humane Society was rechecking the premises for more animals yesterday when an accompanying officer made a judgment call that the conditions there were endangering the minors' welfare.

The children were taken to the Kane'ohe Police Station, where they were turned over to Child Protective Service, which will open an investigation, police said.

Police described the home as filthy inside and out.

The state Department of Health first called the Humane Society about the dogs after receiving complaints from neighbors about the smell and checking into the situation, Smith said.

Initially dogs and cats were at the home but by the time the Humane Society removed the dogs all of the cats had disappeared, Smith said.

"It looked like there was a room in the house where the dogs were living," she said. "The house did smell of animal urine."

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.