Menlo man to stand trial for animal cruelty Menlo man to stand trial for animal cruelty (March 24, 2004)

By Jonas Raab
Special to the Almanac

A Menlo Park man charged with keeping a host of rats and mice in miserable conditions in his home has pleaded not guilty to charges of animal cruelty and is expected to stand trial later this month.

Robert Hollywood, 47, who was arrested in October, entered his plea March 9 to four charges of cruelty to animals and two misdemeanor counts of non-care for animals, said a spokesman for the district attorney's office.

Peninsula Humane Society officers, working on a tip from a person who visited Mr. Hollywood's home on Colby Street, discovered 228 mice, 68 rats, five hamsters, two snakes and a cat, humane society spokesman Scott Delucchi said at the time. Seventy of the rats and mice were dead.

"It was like a horror show walking in the house," said Mr. Delucchi. "They (the officers) cinched their pant legs at the bottom so the rats wouldn't run up them."

Many of the animals were in such bad condition that they had to be euthanized, but the humane society was able to find homes for others.

Mr. Hollywood continues to be held in the county jail, with bond set at $50,000, and is scheduled to appear in San Mateo County Superior Court in Redwood City on March 29 at 1:30 p.m.

The Bay City News wire service contributed to this story.

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