A cat and two dogs were removed from the Wheeling, W.Va., home of a legislative candidate late Thursday, and the house condemned after what was said to be unlivable conditions were found.
City building inspectors and the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department found the building and health code violations at the home of House of Delegates candidate Larry Tighe, which allegedly included cat and dog waste covering three rooms.
Officers from Ohio County Animal Control removed a cat and two dogs from the property Thursday, and they were taken to the county animal shelter.
The alleged condition of the home came to light Tuesday, April 4, when police arrived to take a report from Tighe on alleged break-ins. After an initial examination of the residence, police called building inspectors and health department personnel to the scene.
On Thursday, Tighe disputed the alleged condition of his home, telling the local media he didn't consider the conditions deplorable. He said his dogs have been trained to leave their waste in the former servants' quarters on the third floor, and that he cleans the waste every couple of days.
My cats use a litterbox that is regularly supplied with litter. All my pets are well fed and taken care of, he said.
Posted: April 11, 2006, 5:00 a.m. EST