PETALUMA -- Animal Services has confiscated an estimated 1,000 rats from a residence on Bodega Avenue.

Nancy Tavares, Animal Services manager, said the rats were living in crowded cages although approximately 20 were loose. There also were seven cats in the residence at 877 Bodega Ave. occupied by Roger Dier. He was cited for misdemeanor animal cruelty, Tavares said.

A neighbor complained about the smell on June 20, Tavares said. Dier was buying 250 pounds of rat food a week and apparently initially separated male and female rats in three of the 10 cages found in the home. All the rats were taken to Petaluma Animal Services, which spent $1,000 for new cages, Tavares said.

About 60 rats were euthanized because they were ill. Most of the rats appeared well fed, Tavares said.

Starting Tuesday, 27 young male rats will be sold for $5 each. The female rats will be held for 21 days to make sure they are not pregnant, Tavares said. Females without babies will be adopted out. The rest of the rats will be euthanized with an injection.

"These are companion animals that are social and need attention," Tavares said.

Dier will be allowed to keep two rats of the same sex and will monitored each month, Tavares said.

"I think it was well intentioned," Tavares said. Dier didn't plan to sell the rats, she said.

In May 2001 more than 200 cats were found in Marilyn Barletta's Petaluma home on Baker Street. Most of them were euthanized.

Barletta spent 434 days in the Sonoma County jail as her misdemeanor animal cruelty case made its way through Sonoma County Superior Court.

She was ordered released from a mental health treatment center in August 2004 after psychiatrists concluded she could not be restored to competency to stand trial.