The program "Degpunktā" (TV3) has already reported on the cruel treatment that dozens of animals suffered in a cramped apartment in the Riga district of Imanta. The four-legged pets and birds lived in unsanitary conditions. It became known how and why the woman subjected the animals to such conditions.
The patience of the residents of the building has run out, reports TV3. The unbearable smell from the apartment on the first floor has tormented the neighbors for two years. The owner herself was not present and did not communicate with the neighbors, so the State Police and the Food and Veterinary Service (PVS) had to intervene.
With suspicions that abandoned animals were in the premises, the court granted permission for a search. The services broke down the door, and what they saw shocked even the most experienced inspectors.
The floor was covered with animal urine and feces, and in some corners of the rooms, piles of feces reached almost 15 centimeters; even the bathtub was filled with waste. The animals also had no food or water — a total of 27 cats lived in such conditions. Some of them could not withstand the harsh conditions. The employees found one dead cat, as well as the remains of two dogs and a parrot in the premises. It is assumed that the owner left the animals alone in the apartment.
"A two-room apartment, but there is almost no place to properly put a foot. The owner of the apartment and the animals did not live there — this is absolutely obvious. Of course, uncontrolled breeding of animals was happening. Many of the seized cats are pregnant," noted the head of the Riga City PVS, Gundars Simanovich.
While the services were working, the owner herself arrived at the apartment — a woman named Alexandra. According to Gundars Simanovich, her appearance did not suggest that she was involved in such crimes. The 50-year-old woman was neatly dressed, spoke politely and calmly, and seemed to understand and accept the authorities' actions.
"When she was asked why there were dead animals in the apartment, she calmly replied that she would bury them. I am surprised that if they had been there for several months and she did not do it, that says a lot," said the PVS representative.
The police immediately detained the woman, and the emaciated pets were taken to a shelter. There, it was reported that a total of five cats are pregnant, the health condition of all the animals is stable, and they are currently in quarantine.
Meanwhile, the situation in the house in Imanta itself has become easier. Residents recall how unbearable the last years were, and although the smell has become weaker, it is still noticeable.
"It’s awful. It just comes from the windows. I live on the third floor. The smell from the windows… it still blows in, and you understand that if you close the doors, it will be unbearable here," says Olga, who could not stand the smell.
Olga notes that she has lived in the house for twenty years and has always had a good relationship with Alexandra. However, then something changed in her behavior: "She always loved animals. Always. Really loved, knew a lot. And she always kept things clean, the animals were well cared for, she took care of them herself. Apparently, this is some kind of illness in her head."
Previously, Alexandra was a member of the Latvian Kennel Federation and worked as a groomer. Whether she still works there and continues to care for other people's pets has not been commented on by the institution. Meanwhile, the PVS clearly states that she will no longer be allowed near the affected animals, and her fate will be decided by the court. The maximum punishment for such a crime is up to five years in prison.
