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Crews remove 13 dogs, 2 cats from Arlington home

PITTSBURGH — Police executed a search warrant at a home in Arlington Friday and discovered 13 dogs and two cats inside.

Channel 11's Jodine Costanzo reported that some neighbors have complained about Jane Heatherington, who rescued the animals and kept them at her Cobden Street home, while others have defended her.

One neighbor said Heatherington lives for her cats and dogs.

“She took them in out of the goodness of her heart,” neighbor Shaina Majeskie said. “They were her whole life. She had nothing else, no family, no husband, no kids, just these dogs.”

Other neighbors said she's unable to properly care for them and it is causing sanitation issues.

“The stench from all of the dogs is horrible,” neighbor Sheila Thurner said.

Officials said, by law, a person is only permitted to have five animals in a home.

“We’ve tried working with Jane since July. We filed citations against her back then and she’s postponed her court hearings. Neighbors let us know it’s gotten worse,” an Animal Friends employee said. “It’s a case of people having way too many animals. They can’t care for them. It’s so sad, but we’ll take good care of them at Animal Friends.”

It was not immediately clear what charges Heatherington may face.