Animal hoarding TV show features area woman

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MIDDLETOWN — A Middletown area woman will be featured on the latest episode of “Confessions: Animal Hoarding” airing tonight on the Animal Planet cable network.

The show highlights people who own more pets than they can care for. Half of tonight’s episode focuses on 54-year-old Jean, a local woman who owns 51 animals, including several dogs, cats, goats, geese and horses.

Jean struggles with the financial obligations of caring for so many animals. During the show, Jean says she owns a commercial property on Clark Street she uses to groom her animals. She works four jobs to try to pay for it all, but has gotten behind on the bills — the Clark Street property is headed to foreclosure and the money was borrowed against the equity on her home.

“I don’t know what to do with all these animals if I foreclose,” Jean says during the show. “But I don’t know what else to do.”

The episode was filmed in early December. There are several clips of downtown Middletown during the episode, and Jean indicates she lives just outside of town.

A spokesman for Animal Planet said he could not comment on the episode or release more information on the family because of privacy reasons. He said most show participants are referred to the network by family and friends.

The Ohio Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was called in by the network to assist with the removal of several animals — 11 goats, a Shetland pony, four bulldogs and five house cats — who were put up for adoption by the agency.

Meg Stephenson, director of Animal Friends Humane Society, said she was contacted to assist with the voluntary surrender of animals as a result of the show, but their services were not required.

Stephenson applauded Animal Planet and its efforts to help the local family and bring focus to a nationwide issue.

“Animal overpopulation is an issue in Butler County. Animal Friends takes in more than 8,000 animals a year,” she said. “(This show) is really trying to bring awareness to the problem and get these people help before it turns into a major battle.”

OSPCA officials could not be reached for comment.