Probation Ordered Over Pet-Filled Condo : Courts: Woman who had 51 dogs and cats is sentenced for animal cruelty and must pay restitution to her landlord.

A South County municipal judge Wednesday sentenced Louella Kretchman to three years’ probation for animal cruelty in allowing 51 dogs and cats to live in their own filth.

Judge Blair Barnette ordered Kretchman to pay her former landlord up to $13,000 to repair the damage caused by animal waste and flea infestation. She also will owe the county Animal Control Shelter an undetermined sum for housing and eventually euthanizing 43 of the pets.

Weeping openly in court, the 51-year-old woman said the sentence “makes no difference.”

“Losing the (pets) I had was the biggest price I paid,” she said.

Kretchman said she would try to make restitution, but didn’t know how because she is jobless and homeless after being evicted.

“I’ll pay as much as I can,” she said. “It’s hard to say when I can pay it since I don’t know where I’ll be staying tonight.”

In June, her Aliso Viejo neighbors called the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and complained of strong odors and fleas. Deputies and animal control officers found the three-bedroom condominium covered in fleas and animal excrement.

Authorities counted 51 animals in the home; six were cats that had died weeks before and were lying in a cupboard, covered in flea powder.

The surviving animals were later euthanized at the county animal shelter, except for two cats that were adopted by Kretchman’s son.

Kretchman last month pleaded guilty to one count of animal cruelty.

As part of her probation, Kretchman will not be allowed to have pets and her residence can be searched at any time to make sure she complies with the court order. Her probation report held out the possibility that she may be allowed one or two pets in the future.

No psychological counseling was mandated, although a psychiatric test could be ordered by Kretchman’s probation officer.

“I don’t think that will happen,” said her attorney, Public Defender Tony Pond. “The money for counseling would have to come out of the probation department’s budget and her case is probably not severe enough to warrant it.

“It’s a sad case and all I can say is she never really had any intent to harm those animals,” Pond said. “I think things just got out of control for her.”