PORTLAND, Ore. - A pet owner who converted a school bus into a home had her 13 dogs siezed by Multnomah County Animal Services due to the conditions they were living in.

Karen Hessevick has been cited by the county before and even pleaded guilty earlier this year to not taking care of her dogs.  She says she has changed, but one look inside the bus where she lives with her dogs can make you wonder.

The smell of urine and feces poured out of the old bus as animal control officers caged and removed 13 Cocker Spaniels on Wednesday.

"The conditions in the bus were atrocious," said John Rowton with Multnomah County Animal Services.

Hessevick said the officers caught her on a bad day.  "I bought 2 1/2 gallons of fresh water so they would have fresh water," she said.

Dog feces covers the floor of the bus and there is trash and debris everywhere.  Dog food is laid out among the mess.  Hessevick said she has buckets ready for cleaning.

"And I've been struggling to get back on my feet and everything else," she said.

Hessevick had back spasms several times during our interview. She said she used to sell real estate, but has been forced to live in a bus and sell dogs for extra money after getting hit three times by uninsured motorists. She said she has also been robbed repeatedly.

Hessevick said her bus is dirty this week because someone stole her truck a few days ago. She could not get water or cleaning supplies until Wednesday. "I went without a vehicle for two weeks," she said.

According to Multnomah County Animal Services, Hessevick might get her dogs back if she cleans up.  "The last thing we want to do is take somebody's animal away from them," said said Rowton.

Hessevick said her dogs keep her alive. "I've already thought about hanging myself," she said. She added that she would like to get a home for her animals, but qualifying has become difficult because her identity has been stolen.

The county is continuing its investigation.

Hessevick's case is similar to an infamous one in Clatsop County that led to stricter animal abuse laws in Oregon.

Vicki Kittles was sentenced to four months in jail after being convicted of 42 counts of animal neglect. In 1993, authorities discovered that Kittles was hoarding animals on a filthy school bus in rural Clatsop County. They seized 115 dogs, four cats and two chickens.

As a result of Kittle's case, serious cases of animal abuse can be classified as a felony.