Dead Rats Galore Thanks To Jeffrey Wendorff

[Roberte]

​

An Arizona resident complaining of an overwhelming odor on Monday helped investigators uncover between 300 and 500 dead and dying domesticated rats in a large trailer in Black Canyon City.

The temperature inside the trailer

[...]

topped 100 degrees and the odor was overwhelming, according to Yavapai County Sheriff's Office animal control officers.

Officers said they could immediately smell urine, feces and the odor of dead animal carcasses, YCSO spokesman Dwight D'Evelyn said.

[..]

had a pen inside the front section that contained several dead and dying rats and pens to the rear holding between 300 to 500 rats, most of which appeared dead or dying, D'Evelyn said.
Sheriff's authorities entered the main home, where they found several aquariums with newborn and adult rats. The animals appeared in good condition and had food and water, D'Evelyn said. No one was home at the time.

Deputies detained the caretaker, Jeffrey Wendorff, 28, after tracking him down at a nearby business.

Wendorff told investigators he had recently stopped looking after the rats and added, "As far as I know, they're probably all dead."

Investigators discovered Wendorff abandoned the rats after he had a falling out with the property owner over pay.

The pair were partners in a business that focused on breeding and selling rats.

[...]

Following the pay dispute, Wendorff abandoned his duty as the primary caretaker, moved from the site, and abandoned the animals, D'Evelyn said.

The property owner is apparently only a part-time resident at the home, deputies said.

Wendorff was arrested and booked into the Camp Verde Detention Center on charges of cruel mistreatment of animals and cruel neglect/abandonment of an animal. He was later released on a promise to appear for court.

[..]

said the investigation is focusing on who else might be involved in the incident

http://www.kpho.com/story/25920577/odor-leads-to-discovery-of-500-dead-dying-rats-in-az-trailer

 

[n0longerinuse]

Why were there 500+ rats in the trailer to begin with?

 

[Melicious]

I for one love rats. They're a hell of a lot more intelligent than the majority of the people who are the subject of the threads on this site.

I've owned Rats and they were awesome. They loved being cuddled and hanging around my neck. I trained them to do tricks and they were very particular about being clean (unlike popular belief to the alternative).

This is GROSS negligence. I can only think that it was some kind of breeding operation that got out of control.

I don't view this any differently than the thousands of vile puppy mills in operation. It's terrible and heartbreaking

 

[Chinchillazilla]

I had a pet rat when I was a kid. I got him because I guess someone in the neighborhood had a rat that had babies, and once they were weaned, the owner took the babies and dumped them all off at the park. They probably thought rats would live fine in the wild, but they were bright white. Might as well have had bullseyes on them as far as an owl or hawk is concerned.

I managed to catch two and gave one away. The one I kept was a great pet. The only problems with rats as pets are a) they tend to poop wherever they want, and b) they only live a couple years.

 

[Dutchesse]

Monster! Domesticated rats are some of the sweetest, most intelligent pets you could have.

I have to go hug my pet rats now...

 

[Keepalowprofile]

They need to arrest the partner as well.

 

[Abroad]

Investigators discovered Wendorff abandoned the rats after he had a falling out with the property owner over pay.

Did he tell the property owner/his business partner that he was not going to look after the rats anymore? If he did, that person is also responsible for the neglect.