A couple from Eau Claire Borough were charged Tuesday, June 25, with neglect of both their children and animals, in connection with an incident in December when state troopers found dozens of malnourished animals on the property.

Kenneth Sisson, 41, and Sarah Sisson, 40, were each charged with three counts of child neglect and 70 counts of neglect of animals.

On Dec. 21, state troopers, along with personnel from the ANNA Shelter in Erie, arrived at the Sisson home on South Washington Street to conduct a search warrant as part of an animal neglect investigation.

Once inside, troopers found 52 animals in poor health, suffering from ailments such as ringworm, upper respiratory illnesses, and dental diseases. The animals included 38 cats, six dogs, three snakes, two rats, one bearded dragon, one goat, and one ferret.

The residence itself was described in the police report as “filthy,” with a scent of ammonia “so strong that it burned one’s nostrils and lungs,” and floors and other surfaces covered in feces and urine stains.

The animals were removed from the home and transported to receive “necessary veterinary care.”

The couple’s three children were at school at the time that state troopers were searching the property. Butler County Child and Youth Services were called to the scene and deemed the residence unfit for child habitation until it was cleaned.

A preliminary hearing has yet to be scheduled for each of the pair.