LILBURN - A Lilburn woman was charged with animal cruelty after police found at least three dead cats and dozens of other animals locked inside her house. <br>
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Sharon A. Smith was keeping at least 50 cats and 10 dogs in her home, police said. The two-story house was filled with animal waste. <br>
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``We had to bring in firefighters with air tanks,'' said Gwinnett County Cpl. Ray Dunlap. ``The officers couldn't handle the smell.'' <br>
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Dunlap said the gas had been turned off inside the house and it appeared the owner was not living on the property. <br>
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The dogs and cats were taken to a shelter, but every animal removed from the home was so sick it had to be euthanized, Dunlap said Saturday. Most of the animals had upper-respiratory infections, he said. <br>
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Police discovered the animals after receiving a complaint from a neighbor.
