Home Condemned In Animal Cruelty Case

By Jennifer Loren, The News On 6

MUSKOGEE, OK -- Muskogee city leaders say a woman's hoarding problem has turned into a horrific case of animal cruelty.  The problem has gotten so bad city leaders started the process of kicking her out of town.

The woman will be in court on Friday facing animal cruelty charges, but city officials fear she'll get away with it once again.

The house is in an historic district in Muskogee, but after code enforcement officers went inside, they decided it should be condemned.

"It was filthy, absolutely filthy. There was dog feces everywhere. It didn't matter where you went you were stepping in dog feces. When we come out of it we were covered with fleas," said Muskogee Code Enforcement Officer Rudy Fuller.

Officer Fuller called animal control when he found several pit bulls in and around the house.  One of the dogs was covered in fleas and scabs and had severe leg injuries that were deeply infected.

"The smell was overwhelming. Staph infection was running all out of the wounds.  It was just; I've never seen anything like it in my life. It was really gruesome and really bad," said Muskogee Animal Control Officer Robert Godfrey.

That dog had to be euthanized.  But, seven puppies were rescued along with another two adult dogs. 

Sharon Dewan-Stamps was arrested and charged with animal cruelty.

"I couldn't believe that a person could treat a dog like this. It brought tears to my eyes," said Muskogee City Councilor Jim Ritchey.

Muskogee City Councilor Jim Ritchie says Stamps has been causing problems for the city for more than 10 years and he's fed up.

"We don't want her back. We don't need residents in Muskogee, Oklahoma, that do this. We're trying to clean up our city," said Muskogee City Councilor Jim Ritchie.

But, he and Officer Fuller worry she'll get out of this mess just like she's gotten out of so many before.

"We've written citations. She's paid them. She's went through the court system and it's just somehow she keeps finagling her way out of everything," said Muskogee Code Enforcement Officer Rudy Fuller.

Animal Control officers say Stamps has another home in McIntosh County where she has at least 20 more pit bulls.  They say the county has threatened Stamps with animal cruelty charges, but so far, they haven't done anything else about it.