Friday, May 22, 2009
By Elise Franco
An Animal Charity officer said most of the 44 cats taken from an Austintown home were too sick to save.
AUSTINTOWN — Although animal shelters are available to help prevent pet hoarding, it happens far too often, says Nicole Owen, chief executive of Animal Charity on South Avenue in Youngstown.
Police and health-department personnel were on hand Wednesday as Animal Charity officers removed at least 44 cats from a home in the 4400 block of Aspen Drive.
Owen said the organization got involved when several neighbors called to complain of a foul odor coming from the home.
Owen said it’s not uncommon for Animal Charity to respond in such cases. Owen said she could think of at least four similar instances in the past 12 months.
“These people think they’re doing good, and they start with just two or three cats,” she said. “The problem is, cats multiply quickly, so if you don’t spay or neuter them, two or three cats can easily turn into 20 cats within six months.”
Inside the home, Owen could find only two litter boxes filled with shredded newspaper, she said. Fecal matter was seen in every corner of the home and piled several inches high in the basement.
“You could smell the odor from outside,” she said. “The house was full of fecal matter and urine. It was deplorable, and I don’t know how anyone could have lived there.”
The Mahoning County District Board of Health said though the home was dirty inside, the cats were removed, and no charges will be filed at this time.
Austintown police also have not filed charges.
Owen said the homeowner initially told Animal Charity workers she had 20 cats inside the home. At least 44 were found, and she said it’s likely more are still inside, hiding. None of the cats recovered was dead.
“We spent four hours trying to catch all of the cats,” she said. “Unfortunately, many of them were very ill and very feral.”
Owen said all of the captured cats were given veterinary evaluations to determine their adoptability. She said most of the cats had to be euthanized because they were malnourished, sick and unresponsive to human interaction.
“We were all very scratched up because they were so difficult to handle,” she said. “A couple of the kittens were able to be saved, but most of them were very, very ill.”
Owen said the kittens that weren’t euthanized will be spayed or neutered, given immunizations, and once they’re healthy, they will be adopted out to good homes.
She said she believes people have no excuse to allow an animal situation to get so out of hand.
“Places like Animal Charity will work with you,” she said. “It takes one phone call to us, but if we don’t know about your situation, we can’t help you.”
The best way to avoid hoarding is to spay and neuter all pet cats, Owen said.
“If you do that, you’re not going to end up with this problem,” she said. “Unfortunately, people just aren’t educated.”
For information on adoption, veterinary care and general pet information, contact Animal Charity at (330) 783-0645.
efranco@vindy.com