Children, animals removed from Wisconsin home

MENASHA, Wis. — Health officials have declared a Doty Island home unfit for human occupancy after finding a family and 28 animals in filthy conditions.

Winnebago County authorities removed four children ages 5 to 12 from the home and placed them with relatives. Animal welfare workers removed six dogs, three rabbits, five chickens, 21 pigeons and 12 parakeets.

The 31-year-old father of the children was referred for possible charges of neglecting a child and mistreating animals. It was the second time in four years his home was posted as uninhabitable, the Appleton Post-Crescent reported .

A police officer said he and a city sanitarian were nearly overcome by the smell of ammonia from animal excrement when they entered the basement, and had to leave after less than a minute.