Hoarding - 44 cats seized from rescuers
Toms River, NJ (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Feb 16, 2009
County: Ocean

Disposition: Not Charged

Abuser names unreleased

"It will take about nine months to get them all. It's a long, slow process," said Barbara Egan, vice president of Tails With Happy Endings, an Island eights-based rescue shelter that will retrieve 44 cats from a couple living in a single-family home.

Egan refused to name the people or say where they live.

"The woman wanted to join our organization," Egan said. But as the woman talked more about her living situation, Tails With Happy Endings workers began to suspect a case of animal hoarding, leading to a surprise visit at the home, Egan said.

"I think they are people who thought they were saving the animals."

Egan said the home had no flooring and minimal furniture. Feces covered the floors and walls, chicken wire lined the windows to keep cats from escaping, and the garage was full of cats.

In addition to 44 cats, most of which were bred in the home, there were also five dogs and two rabbits.

"The smell will give you a headache in less than five minutes," Egan said.

Tails With Happy Endings contacted Toms River's Division of Animal Control, which is aware of the situation but is not involved in the removal.

"As long as they cooperate and let us remove the cats from the home, they may avoid legal trouble," she said, explaining that eight cats will be removed at a time, brought to veterinarians, cared for by host families and put up for adoption.

"The cats are emaciated, with runny eyes and noses, missing hair, scabs, and fear in their eyes," Egan said.

Jim Bowen, manager of the Division of Animal Control, said if the family does not
cooperate with Tails With Happy Endings, his department would become involved, since so many cats in the house need to be housed.

"We see it occasionally, but even occasionally is still too often," Bowen said.

Egan said if the cats are healthy, they probably can be adopted within a month. All the cats are adults except for one kitten that was removed along with its mother.

HOW TO HELP

Cats will be available for adoption ever Tuesday and Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Petsmart on Chambers Bridge Road in Brick.

Adoptive families and volunteers are needed.

Money for veterinary care can be donated to Tails with Happy Endings, P.O. Box 1013, Island Heights, NJ 07832

References

• « NJ State Animal Cruelty Map

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