Hoarding - 14 cats seized, 25 in freezer
Las Cruces, NM (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Dec 13, 2006
County: Dona Ana
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Daniel Garrett
Animal control officers removed 14 cats and the frozen carcasses of 25 more from a mobile home in mid-December.
Las Cruces Police Officer Kiri Daines said officers were called Dec. 13 to Dalmont's RV Trailer Corral, 2224 S. Valley Drive, regarding a resident with an excessive number of cats.
Daines said officers found a travel trailer with a large number of cats present, but had to return the next day with a court order to go into the home.
There were numerous cats running loose inside and outside the home. There was a hole under the trailer that gave the cats access.
Daniel Garrett, 54, who lived in the trailer, voluntarily checked himself into a hospital for a mental evaluation, Daines said.
He has been cited on 10 counts of failure to care and maintain animals, because many of the cats lacked proper care and appeared to be sick.
"The ammonia level was so strong, because of the urine and feces, that animal control officers had to wear masks," Daines said.
Inside a freezer, officers found the frozen carcasses of 25 cats, each accompanied by a metal cross.
"He wasn't doing anything with the carcasses, but because of his mental health he thought he was doing something good, by saving them," Daines said. "He did not realize he needed to properly dispose of them."
Anthony Morales, who lives at a mobile home park behind Dalmont's, said he saw at least 30 cats roaming around Garrett's trailer.
"It was insane; they were everywhere," Morales said. "I think he was luring wild cats to his trailer."
Morales said Garrett would never let anyone in his home, but anytime he opened the door there was a strong stench.
Morales said when police arrived, he thought there had been a major crime, with police cars, a fire truck and two animal control trucks.
"(Officers) were wearing big masks and it was crazy," Morales said. "You could see the floors were rotted and full of cat waste. It was bad."
The white 40-foot travel trailer remained at Dalmont's Wednesday with the window vents open. The feces neighbors saw covering the ground have been cleaned up.
Daines said animal control officers left several traps around the home to try and catch Garrett's remaining cats. References
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