HIALEAH, Fla. – A South Florida woman is charged with 53 counts of animal cruelty after police said she kept dozens of dogs and cats in her Hialeah duplex.
Hialeah police said Gisela Tacao used to operate an illegal pet shelter, Gigi's Rescue, from a warehouse on West 24th Street since December 2010. She was forced to shut down the shelter in 2012, and find a home for the 200 animals inside.
Friends said Tacao kept up to 60 of those animals inside her duplex because they were in need of a home, but detectives say those animals were neglected and abused.
Her bond was set at $265,000.