Omaha woman charged after 45 dead animals reportedly found in her home

OMAHA, Neb. (TCD) -- A 47-year-old woman was charged with felony animal neglect on Friday after 45 dead animals were reportedly discovered in her home.

KETV-TV reports the animals found inside Jaime Kimbrough’s residence included two dead parakeets, 38 dead rabbits in food bags, two living dogs, eight living rabbits, and five dead rabbits in food bags at a second location owned by Kimbrough.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, Kimbrough was first contacted by officers on August 10 with the Nebraska Humane Society. An affidavit reportedly described Kimbrough as severely disabled.

According to the affidavit cited by the Omaha World-Herald, Kimbrough allegedly claimed she didn’t own any rabbits and that her two dogs were vaccinated and licensed by her father’s veterinary clinic in Grand Island. However, a humane society investigator later reportedly discovered that the dogs were not licensed or vaccinated, and Kimbrough’s father was retired.

In the affidavit, according to the Omaha World-Herald, the investigator said, "I became very concerned for the condition of Jaime’s hygiene and general care, so I contacted the Department of Health and Human Services Neglected and Vulnerable Adult division."

On August 16, authorities were allegedly contacted by a rabbit breeder who had dropped off a rabbit at Kimbrough’s home for fertility testing. Kimbrough claimed she would return the rabbit on the condition that the woman would sell her more rabbits, according to the Omaha World-Herald.

The woman reportedly threatened to call the police and the two agreed to have a third person retrieve the animal and return it to the breeder. According to the Omaha World-Herald, the rabbit was said to be "skin and bones, emaciated, with feces and urine on her paws." The rabbit was reportedly emanating an "extremely bad odor." The rabbit reportedly died just a few days later.

Three days after that incident, authorities obtained a search warrant to investigate Kimbrough’s home and found piles of animal waste, KETV reports. The conditions were reportedly so bad that when officers entered the garage, they noticed a height difference because the floor was "entirely covered" in rabbit feces.

Ronald Schlabs, the Nebraska Humane Society’s field director, told KETV, "When we first opened the door, it actually took our breath away and burned our nostrils and our lungs. It was extremely filthy; animals are running around and couldn’t escape the waste. And deceased animals are still on the property as well."

Schlabs added, "The other thing that was more unusual and a little more upsetting with this was the sheer number of deceased animals that were still kept on the property and not properly taken care of."

Kimbrough denied the allegations and claimed that the animals were set up and placed in her home, KETV says.

The Nebraska Humane Society rescued the two living dogs and eight rabbits, although two rabbits had to be euthanized, according to The Associated Press. Kimbrough was charged with two counts of felony animal neglect and on Friday, her bail was set at $20,000.

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