Dead animals found in Elk Grove-area mobile home

The residents of a mobile home filled with more than 30 pets, some long dead, are under investigation by Cook County sheriff's police.

A spokeswoman from the sheriff's office confirmed the investigation began Thursday when the Elk Grove Township Fire Department discovered the trailer in the Oasis Mobile Home Park on the 7500 block of Elmhurst Road while out on a call.

Lt. Rudy Sandoval said the department responded to a medical call for a person bitten by a cat.

Once on scene, Sandoval said, neighbors reported that two men lived at the mobile home but had not been seen in a couple of days.

"It seems like the owners left and left behind a home full of cats, snakes, rabbits, frogs, you name it," Sandoval said. "Half of them were dead. It was pretty bad. You could smell the animals without even going in the trailer."

Sandoval said the smell was so bad that neighbors reported the two men living there slept outside. Sandoval said Cook County Animal Control took custody of the surviving animals.

The Cook County sheriff's office would not release the identities or status of the residents of the mobile home but said more information will be released soon.