Humane Society agents on Wednesday were searching for a woman wanted for animal cruelty.
Prosecutors said Maureen McLaughlin admitted killing 650 puppies, dogs, and cats by drowning them in a trash can.
McLaughlin recently told authorities she would fill a trash can with water, put the animals in a crate, and place the crate in the water.
"She would keep fur from each animal that she killed and write the name and date and descriptions of the animals," said assistant city prosecutor Bill Hedrick.
Many of the animals MacLaughlin drowned since July 2002 were received through people thinking that she was a rescue.
"No one would expect this going on and basically she's just a mass killer of animals," Hedrick said.
Authorities were working to determine why McLaughlin killed the animals when they say she knew that what she did was wrong.
McLaughlin was charged with one count of animal cruelty because Humane Society agents recovered only one carcass.
Prosecutor Hedrick said he was concerned that she could be volunteering with local veterinarians or other rescues.
http://www.10tv.com/?story=sites/10tv/content/pool/200703/1765432341.html---------------------------------------------------
Prosecutors are trying to find Maureen McLaughlin, who they said confessed to killing 650 animals.
They believe she drowned one animal after another in her north Columbus apartment.
A Columbus family doesn't feel complete without their 3-year-old Shi Tzu, Baby.
They were in the process of moving, so 10 days ago Patricia Brown and her daughter Toni (pictured, right) left their dog with McLaughlin, a friend and animal rescuer.
"Toni, my daughter, would find lost cats," said Patricia Brown. "She would come and pick them up. She'd always been there for us."
"She was a nice, kind lady," said Toni Sullivan. "We called her cat lady because she loved cats. I never knew she would do this to cats."
Three days ago, McLaughlin told them Baby was in foster care, but then Brown saw the news. Animal investigators found a dead cat inside McLaughlin's apartment and they said she confessed to killing 650 cats and dogs.
The family went to her apartment, but there was no sign of McLaughlin or Baby.
"If you can hear me Maureen, let me know where Baby is. Please," said Brown.
When they're not crying, they're praying. They hope Baby will return and that they weren't betrayed by a trusted friend.
"If anyone can find him, please call us or let us know because I want my dog back," said Sullivan.
Animal investigators are trying to track down McLaughlin. Anyone who knew her and is now missing animal is asked to call police.
http://www.10tv.com/?story=sites/10tv/content/pool/200703/885648802.html
here's the petition link
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/prosecute-ohio-animal-murderer-maureen-mclaughlin.html
