Tenants move out of Hamilton home, but many dogs and cats remain

Residents of a Hamilton neighborhood say they’re fed up with tenants evicted from a corner house on their street.

The reason? The tenants are gone but their pets — including about half a dozen large dogs — remain inside.

“They’re hungry, neglected and probably vicious,” said Michelle, who lives on the street, but asked her last name not be used.

“As somebody who lives on the block, I fear that an animal that escapes could seriously harm a child or an adult,” she said.

Global News was called to the home after owners Bryan Ortiz and partner Karina Loayza complained that no government agency or animal welfare organization has stepped in to help them or the animals.

The evicted tenants — Charmaine Miller and Timothy Aldridge — were ordered to vacate the Highland Avenue home for about $40,000 in unpaid rent.

The couple moved out but left their animals behind. An eviction order against the couple won’t be served for another week, according to the Sheriff’s office.

“We hear animals fighting each other,” said another neighbour, Sonja, describing the sounds coming from the corner house.

“I don’t know how many cats and dogs are alive in there,” she said in an interview.

When Global News called Miller to ask about the animals, she expressed anger and said she’d come right over to the home.

Minutes later, Miller and Aldridge showed up on e-bikes and said they’d done nothing wrong.

“Why don’t you f… off and get the f… away from my house,” exclaimed Miller, even though she no longer lives at the home and the television crew was on public property and accompanied by the homeowners.

“Get the mic out of my face or I’ll smash your (microphone),” Aldridge said while sitting on the eBike wearing a helmet.

Minutes later, one of the couple’s adult sons also showed up, jumping off a moving eBike in front of the house.

When asked when the family plans to relocate the dogs, the man responded loudly.

“None of your f…ing business, bro,” the man said.

He angrily claimed that the animals inside are being cared for by his family.

“They’re being fed three times a day. But we’ve got a bunch of rats in the neighbourhood, bro,” he said pointing at neighbours on the street who watched the men shout at the television crew and who had called police several times.

Later, police arrived for the second time in one day, taking statements from neighbours who allege members of the family had made death threats to them. No charges have been laid against the tenants.

Some neighbours said they did not want to go on camera and expressed fear of retribution for speaking out.

“It’s a complete nightmare,” said Loayza, who said she and Ortiz had planned to move into the home in October. Once the couple’s animals are removed from the property by order of the Sheriff, they say they’ll will be stuck with an additional bill to pay for removal and thousands of dollars to repair anticipated interior damages.

“It’s not fair,” she said, adding that the tenants also topped paying electricity bills. Those arrears have now been charged to the homeowners, who have had to increase their mortgage on the property, they say.

Even if the animals have been fed, they have not left the house for at least a week, neighbours say. The side entrance to the property is littered with feces and the homeowners expect to find the interior of the home filthy when they eventually get possession.

Hamilton police explained to the homeowners and neighbours that there was nothing they could do until the Sheriff enforces the eviction order.