Officer testifies home of CR woman accused of animal abuse was covered in feces, urine

A former Cedar Rapids Police animal control officer testified Monday the floors in the home of Jennifer Wood were covered in feces and urine, and many of the 32 animals living there were in inadequate cages.

The feces and urine covered the floors in the kitchen living/dining room and basement, Sgt. Kent Choate, who now works in crimes against persons division, said. All the floors were slippery and slick, and about half the animals were covered in feces.

“The whole house was pretty appalling,” Choate said.

Wood, 36, is charged with 35 counts of animal abuse and two counts of unhealthy and unsanitary conditions after officials seized 32 dogs, two cats and a parrot from her home at 308 30

^th

St. Dr. SE on Feb. 17.

A dead dog and dead cat also were found in bags in her garage, authorities said.

The trial continues 10 a.m. Tuesday in Linn County Associate District Courts. The City will continue its case, planning to call an animal control officer, one or two veterinarians and an police evidence technician.

Choate, who helped execute the search warrant on Wood's home, testified some of the dogs had matted fur and many had feces on them. Many of the animals were in cages too small for them where they couldn't stand up and the cages also contained urine and feces, which is a violation of the municipal code.

There were also cages that held several dogs, which were inadequate and violated the code, Choate said. None of the animals had food or water.

Assistant City Attorney Liz Jacobi asked if it looked like the home had been recently cleaned to be sanitary under the code.

Choate said no. Some of the feces were dried and appeared to be older.

Tom Viner, Wood's attorney, attempted to show the lack of evidence regarding how long the feces and urine had been in the home and whether or not Wood had been in the home.

Viner asked if there was a limit on how many dogs someone can own or possess.

Choate said no, not according to the municipal code.

Viner asked Choate if he could tell when the feces and urine were present on the floors.

Choate said it would be difficult to know but some of the feces appeared to be dried and older.

Viner asked if it was possible for the animals to have slipped and that's how they got feces on them.

“I would have to speculate,” Choate said.

An animal control officer also testified about the conditions of the home earlier in the day.

This seizure from Wood's home was the third time animals have been taken from one of Wood's residences in the city. She had 16 cats, 11 dogs and four rabbits taken away in 1997. Two years later, she had 118 animals – mostly cats, dogs, birds and rats – taken from her home at 1260 Houston Ct. NE.

In all, nearly 300 animals in Wood's care have either been taken from her or voluntarily surrendered since 1997, mostly because of unsanitary conditions.