Update: Animal neglect warrant issued

The 20-year-old woman accused of animal neglect at the Stratum of Indiana apartment complex returned to Bloomington for a Tuesday interview with the Bloomington Police Department, Sgt. Joe Crider said.

A warrant has been requested and paperwork has been forwarded to the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office requesting preliminary charges for seven counts of abandonment and neglect of vertebrae animals.

The woman told police she had been out of town since Monday morning. She said she had left for Chicago after a friend was supposed to feed and water the animals while she was out of town.

She told police in the interview that she did not feel responsible for what had happened.

When asked how she cared for the animals, she stated that she provided “typical care.” Police said that the woman told them that she took them outside several times a day and played with them.

Police said that based on the original case information and the amount of feces and urine that was found in the cages, that this does not appear to be true and that she most likely was gone for longer than a few days.

Police then said the female admitted to being lazy and said that she didn’t like to clean.

Animal Control requested that the owner relinquish the remaining animals to the animal shelter. Although the woman was hesitant at first, police said she agreed and signed them over to Animal Control based on all the information the officers presented her.

—Samantha Felix