Woman Accused Of Drowning Hundreds Of Animals

POSTED: 1:50 pm EDT March 15, 2007
UPDATED: 2:12 pm EDT March 15, 2007

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Humane Society agents on Wednesday were searching
for a woman wanted on charges of animal cruelty.

Prosecutors said Maureen McLaughlin admitted killing 650 puppies,
dogs, and cats by drowning them in a trash can, NewsChannel5 partner
ONN reported.

McLaughlin recently told authorities she would fill a trash can with
water, put the animals in a crate, and place the crate in the water.

"She would keep fur from each animal that she killed and write the
name and date and descriptions of the animals," said assistant city
prosecutor Bill Hedrick.

He said many of the animals MacLaughlin allegedly drowned since July
2002 were received through people thinking that she was a rescue.

"No one would expect this going on and basically she's just a mass
killer of animals," Hedrick said.

Authorities were working to determine why McLaughlin allegedly killed
the animals.

McLaughlin was charged with one count of animal cruelty because Humane
Society agents recovered only one carcass.

Prosecutor Hedrick said he was concerned that she could be
volunteering with local veterinarians or other rescue services.

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