SPCA confiscates 67 animals from allergy victim's home

A Petone woman is upset that 67 animals and birds she kept for dietary reasons have been taken from her and that the Hutt City Council has ordered her to clean her home.

The SPCA, which removed the pets, and the council are taking action against Margaret Kelly.

Mrs Kelly said her rabbits, bantams and quails were vital to her health and the canaries, budgies and finches were part of a long-term study for a book she was writing on her allergies.

Mrs Kelly, who is on an invalid's benefit, said she kept the rabbits, bantams and quails to provide her with food she needed because she was allergic to many items, including wheat, milk, beef, lamb and pork.

She relied on the rabbits for meat and the chickens and quails for their eggs, since she could not eat store-bought eggs.

She said the animals had to be kept inside as she was also allergic to grass, pollen and the sun.

"I'm also allergic to people because of their scent and the things they eat and I can't sit down because I'm allergic to rubber," she said.

She could not stand the smell coming from the nearby Lever soap powder plant and had also turned off the water main as she was allergic to the chlorine in reticulated water.

She filtered and boiled rainwater she collected from her roof to cook and bathe with.

She did not believe she was causing any nuisance to her neighbours and said her house was not a health hazard.

Mrs Kelly said she was unable to clean up her house because she had injured knees and she was also looking after an elderly woman living nearby.

Picking her way through her cluttered home - stacked with water drums, boxes of newspapers, empty cages and food for her menagerie - Mrs Kelly said she would be grateful for any help with cleaning up.

"I can't do what they said, especially right at the moment. I feel I'm being unfairly got at."

The SPCA, escorted by the police, visited her home this month to take the animals away.

SPCA animal welfare manager Hans Kriek said the situation was unhealthy. Rabbits, chickens, quails, finches, pigeons, doves and a guinea-pig were in cages stacked on top of one another in two rooms. Inspectors also took away a cat and a dog.

"It's the sort of thing that happens to animal collectors. They don't know when to stop."

The birds and animals were kept in filthy conditions and needed to be removed to the shelter.

Mr Kriek said inspectors who went into the home had to wear masks because of the smell.

The SPCA was considering taking legal action to disqualify Mrs Kelly from keeping animals.

Hutt City Council health inspector John Pepper, who visited the house with the SPCA inspectors, said the council had issued a cleanup notice.

There was a very strong stench from urine and droppings.

There had been problems with Ms Kelly about three or four years ago.

Mr Pepper said Hutt Valley Health had also been contacted to see whether help could be made available to her.

- NZPA