40 cats seized from deplorable conditions
Tampa, FL (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Nov 9, 2010
County: Hillsborough
Charges: Misdemeanor, Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Kevin Lamar Addison
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
Forty cats have been rescued from a mobile home covered in enough animal waste to make the floors unstable, authorities said Wednesday.
"Investigators described it as a litter box without litter," said Marti Ryan, a Hillsborough County Animal Services spokeswoman.
Animal Services on Tuesday arrested Kevin Lamar Addison, 46, of 314 Pecos Way and charged him with 40 misdemeanor counts of unlawful confinement or abandonment of an animal and five felony counts of animal cruelty.
An anonymous tip led investigators to the home in northern Hillsborough.
Veterinarians were treating the animals Wednesday for conjunctivitis, upper respiratory infections, dermatitis, open wounds, urine burns on skin and fur and chronic narrowing of passageways because of ammonia levels in the home. Ammonia levels become unsafe at a reading of 25; it was 38 in Addison's home.
Recovery for the 40 cats looks grim, Ryan said.
They were kept on one side of the mobile home with sealed-off windows and no ventilation, investigators said. Addison kept to the other, cleaner side.
Addison told investigators he took the cats in after he heard they might be rounded up because the strays had become a nuisance to neighbors.
Investigators and veterinarians entered the home wearing knee-high rubber boots, jumpsuits, masks and other gear to protect themselves from the filthy conditions, Ryan said. Clothes worn inside had to be thrown away. The home reeked from 15 feet away.
"The floor was so soaked with animal waste that it was moving. It was unstable," Ryan said. "This guy is the antithesis of a responsible pet owner."
Addison wants two of the 40 cats returned. But Ryan said Animal Services will petition a judge for custody and to bar Addison from owning any more animals.
He was being held in a Hillsborough County jail on $10,000 bail.
Case UpdatesOpie and Sammy are alive, but traumatized. They were among a group of 40 abused cats, rescued and brought to Hillsborough County Animal Services.
"Skin and eye conditions, dermititis, conjunctivitus, ear mites. Over one half of the cats were emaciated and were in bad condition," said Marti Ryan, with Animal Services.
The two cats have barely moved, haven't eaten in 24 hours and don't know how to use the litter box. But they're still better off than the other cats. The rest of the group, 38 of them, had to be put to sleep.
"Their diseases were so significant, they were at risk to all the animals in our shelter," said Ryan.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Kevin Addison is to blame.
After getting a tip, Animal Services investigated Tuesday and found all the cats living inside his home, along the 300 block of Pecos Way. Offiicials with animal services say the stench cannot be described. In fact , the floor was unstable because of the weight of all the feces.
"The part where the animals were kept was truly horriffic. It was called 'the dungeon.' It was called a litter box without a litter box by the investigators," said Ryan.
Addison was arrested and went before a judge Wednesday. He was later released on bond.
Now Animal Services is working to make sure Opie and Sammy recover and hopefully become adoptable.
"Time will tell. We're going to do our best," said Ryan.
Addison is facing more then 40 charges of animal cruelty and unlawful confinement. | Source: abcactionnews.com - Nov 11, 2010
Update posted on Nov 11, 2010 - 12:09PM |
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