VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Officials removed an estimated 200 neglected animals, almost half of which were dead and frozen, from a Virginia Beach, Va., home.

Animal Control officials Tuesday found more than 100 ferrets, a bird, a dog and three cats "living in deplorable, unsanitary and crowded conditions," The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported Wednesday.

Nearly every living animal in the home was malnourished and dehydrated. Eighty-nine ferrets, a cat, a rat and an otter were found dead in freezers throughout the home and a garage, a police spokeswoman said -- and 61 of the ferrets were euthanized because their condition was so poor.

The property owners could not be reached for an interview, the newspaper said, and a man who answered the door said, "Go away!"

Teresa Lamarche of the Virginia Beach SPCA said the organization normally doesn't take in ferrets because they should be left in the wild, but she said an exception was made for the surviving ferrets in this case.

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