Tulsa Nonprofit Animal Aid Finds Roach-Infested Garbage In Parking Lot

After finding a massive pile of wet, roach-infested garbage in their parking lot Animal Aid workers decided to get the police involved.

Over the weekend, someone dumped piles of rotting garbage and broken furniture in and around their dumpsters. They even left behind acid, which required a visit from firefighters and a pollution company to clean up.

"I've managed the store for over 3 and half years and have never seen anything like this," Manager Stasia Rainwater said.

Rainwater said Animal Aid of Tulsa operates a thrift store to help homeless cats and dogs. She says all their limited resources should go to the animals - not picking up trash.

"It's heart wrenching. The store means more to us than just the store and money; our hearts are here for the animals," says Rainwater. "When these people dump trash, it feels like they are hurting the animals."

Employee Sandra Martinez says they don't have the manpower to deal with the crimes. "It was just junk, it was broken trash and we can't do anything," Martinez recalls, "and then we have to call people to haul it off and waste what little man power we have to clean it up."

Board members tell me they're now looking into adding fencing and alarms. Rainwater says they've had a history of vandal, thieves stealing legitimate donations, and crooks even stealing surveillance cameras. She says enough is enough and says board members have filed a police report.

"I do feel targeted by criminals who dump their trash who want to steal from us," says Rainwater, "and they feel like they can do whatever they want to our property."

Rainwater says an anonymous donor will pay for an alarm system that will be installed this week.