Chandler (Ariz.) Police arrested April McLaughlin, bottom, on 55 counts each of animal abuse and cruelty of animals and vulnerable animal abuse after dozens of dogs and her 79-year-old mother Kathleen McLaughlin, top, were found living in squalor. (Scene screenshot: KTVK/YouTube; April McLaughlin mugshot: Chandler police; Kathleen McLaughlin photo: KSAZ/YouTube)
The mother of a woman accused of animal abuse described the horrible living conditions at the Arizona home where 55 dogs were seized and five were found dead in a freezer.
April McLaughlin's 79-year-old mother Kathleen McLaughlin told Phoenix Fox affiliate KSAZ she had to go to the bathroom in the shower or outside because the home had no working toilet and was forced to sleep on a small portion of the couch because all the dogs took up the bedrooms at the 956-square-foot home. Her daughter was arrested Sept. 22 on a felony elder abuse charge along with 55 counts each of animal abuse and cruelty of animals, both misdemeanors.
But the Maricopa County District Attorney's Office declined to prosecute and sent the case back to the Chandler Police Department for further investigation. April McLaughlin is not facing any charges at this time.
Kathleen McLaughlin told the TV station she moved in with her daughter after her husband died three years ago. Not long after, she suffered a stroke which caused her to have to regain her speech. Over time, she said her daughter kept taking in dogs as part of her rescue called Special Needs Animal Welfare League.
She said the dogs were "a source of income" for her daughter.
"The two bedrooms were full of dogs, so we weren't able to sleep there. She had some in the backyard, and she bought tents for shade, and it became obvious that the terrific heat wave wasn't conducive to their comfort, so she'd have to bring them into the garage," she said.
The investigation began in early September when animal rescue groups couldn't get a hold of April McLaughlin and they became concerned that the dogs were being neglected. When Chandler police raided the home, they were met with the foul odor of feces and urine. The home was in such bad condition it had to be condemned, a probable cause arrest affidavit said. The ammonia levels were deemed too high to inhale so officials had to wear special equipment during the raid.
According to the affidavit, April McLaughlin took over her mother's finances after she moved in with her in 2020 and has power of attorney. All her social security checks are deposited into her daughter's bank account. Kathleen McLaughlin told police that her daughter was supposed to use the money to bring her food, but detectives determined there was an insufficient amount in the house.
"I'd be better if I had more food," she told investigators.
She allegedly had no phone or other modes of communication. She told investigators hadn't seen a doctor in over six months.
"When asked what she would do to ask for help, she said, 'walk out the door and yell,'" the affidavit said.
In the TV interview, the elder McLaughlin also accused her daughter of physically abusing her twice.
"She threatened me a couple of times," said Kathleen McLaughlin. "If I complained, she'd pack me in the car and drop me off someplace."
In June, her daughter took her to a library where she alerted staff that she was being mistreated. The staff alerted Adult Protective Services who had Chandler police do a welfare check. However, when police got there Kathleen McLaughlin told an officer she was not in any danger so the case was closed.
Kathleen McLaughlin told KSAZ that she changed her tune because she figured she didn't have anywhere else to live.
Since her daughter's arrest, Kathleen McLaughlin has moved elsewhere.
"I'm sleeping like a baby," she said, the joy apparent in her voice.
Meanwhile, April McLaughlin has a hearing Wednesday in Chandler Municipal Court in an effort to get 47 of the 55 dogs back into her care, reports local NBC affiliate KPNX.
The Arizona Humane Society, which has been taking care of the dogs since they were seized, is fighting fervently to prevent that from happening. Dr. Steven Hansen, the president and CEO of the AHS, told the outlet that "there's no way the dogs should go back" to April McLaughlin.
The dogs were in poor health, extremely underweight and had many lesions and sores, he said.
"Some that I won't describe. But it's the worst that I have ever seen," Hansen said.
The Maricopa DA's office sent the case back to CPD on Sept. 27 for further investigation, five days after April McLaughlin's arrest, according to the Chandler Arizonan newspaper. The next day CPD issued a press release requesting "any citizen, rescue organization, or veterinary professionals with knowledge of the dogs prior to being adopted out" to April McLaughlin's rescue and anyone who donated money to her.
CPD even set up an email address "dedicated exclusively" for tips in the case: [email protected]
The saga has roiled officials in the city of nearly 300,000 southeast of Phoenix. The Arizonan reported the email inboxes of police, city officials and even the newspaper itself have been inundated with people demanding something be done. The situation was addressed at a Sept. 21 city council meeting.
Koko Garcia, who runs an animal rescue herself, started a social media campaign against April McLaughlin.
"There are over 30 rescues nationwide and out of country that have sent dogs to this woman," Garcia told the council, according to the Arizonan. "She lied to us. She scammed us very well. We are very upstanding rescues. We do hundreds, thousands of dollars of free work every month for this community. And she scammed all of us."
Vice Mayor Matt Orlando suggested at the meeting that maybe the city adopt an ordinance that addresses animal hoarding or a failure to provide care to assist police in future investigations.
Commenters on the Chandler police Facebook page — even on posts that have nothing to do with the case — have not been kind.
One post that gave a shoutout to an officer who helped someone with a broken down car said it was an example of how each police contact can be "an opportunity to reduce & prevent crime by earning the respect, trust, & support of the community!"
"Reduce & prevent crime by earning the respect, trust, and support of the community……unless you're an animal lover, animal rescue, or an actual animal…," a snarky commenter wrote.
