EFFORTS CONTINUE TO TREAT RESCUED ANIMALS

Operation Noah’s Ark continued Friday

By Jon Mayhew
Publisher


DENVER – It’s an 80,000 square foot building in an undisclosed location. Inside the building, cats meow, dogs bark and horses neigh as a plethora of volunteers scurry to take care of more than 300 animals rescued from a Denver residence earlier in the week.

Mobile kennels line the floors and a mobile veterinarian from Raleigh treats the animals seized from Vicki Rauch’s residence on Petite Lane. It’s the latest in the controversy surrounding Rauch and a nuisance lawsuit brought against her by Lincoln County government.

This past week, Jack Kerley with Lincoln County Animal Services served a search warrant on Rauch. Original estimates of Operation Noah’s Ark were around 150 animals; by Friday, that number easily cc
A recent state inspection of Rauch’s property – something Rauch called an “animal rescue” revealed deplorable conditions, where some animals didn’t even have shelter, potable water, very little or no food. Some animals were tied to trees and more than 50 animals were found to be living inside the Rauch residence.

When Kerley was asked about conditions inside of the residence, he shook his head in disbelief.

Rauch’s son, who once ran “All Creatures Great and Small” in Lincolnton, was so overcome with stress of the situation he had to be transported to the hospital with breathing problems.



Saturday, volunteers continued to look after the animals. See The Carolina Scoop story to find out how you can volunteer.