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Nearly 100 Animals Removed From Seffner Home

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By PETER BERNARD and AMERICA DEUPREE

News Channel 8

Published: July 31, 2008

SEFFNER - A menagerie of 55 goats, 35 dogs and seven cats were seized Wednesday from homeowners who lived in filth and kept the animals in putrid conditions, investigators said.

Hillsborough County Animal Services investigators served a search warrant on property owned by Larry and Rae Lynn Smart, 2005 S. Parsons Ave., and found the yard where the animals were kept covered in ankle-deep goat manure.

"It's probably one of the worst conditions I've ever seen," Dennis McCullough of Animal Services said.

Veterinarians examined the animals, and some of the sick goats may have to be euthanized, Animal Services spokeswoman Marti Ryan said.

Investigators were trying to determine whether charges would be filed, Ryan said.

The dogs were kept in rusty kennels stacked on top of each other. The animals did not have access to clean food or water, investigators said.

Investigators say the Smarts are animal breeders who advertised in local newspapers.

Rae Lynn Smart inadvertently tipped off authorities when she took two dogs to Animal Services to have them euthanized. The canines were in poor condition, investigators said.

The Smarts' home was also in a decrepit state. The roof of the house was caved in, and several broken-down vehicles and large appliances littered the lawn. Goats lived in the house, which had no running water. Feces covered the floors, and junk was stacked against the walls.

"Everything from clothes to phone books to videos and toys," Hillsborough sheriff's Cpl. Bruce Harrell said. "Just everything stacked from floor to ceiling. We found one light that was in working order inside the home."

Tampa Tribune reporter Ray Reyes contributed to this report.

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