Hoarding - 80 cats seized, 12 found dead Sumterville, FL (US) Incident Date: Tuesday, Aug 16, 2005 County: Sumter Local Map: available Disposition: Convicted Abusers/Suspects: » Adult Tulley » Adult Tulley

Case ID: 5407 Classification: Hoarding Animal: cat View more cases in FL (US) Login to Watch this Case

Sheriff's deputies in Sumter County, Fla., removed 80 sick cats and another 12 dead cats packed in a freezer in a home filled with piles of feces in the home of an elderly couple, according to deputies.

Animal control says the floors of the home were covered with feces and urine, where maggots and flies hovered thickly. They also made a gruesome discovery in the freezer where the bodies of nearly a dozen cats were found.

Humane Society and Animal Control officers said an elderly Sumterville couple's home located on county Road 543A was overrun with cats and kittens.

The smell from the cats reportedly reached down the street from the couple's house.

"We got the local fire department to bring some exhaust fans for us to try to ventilate the house were we could breath," Sumter County animal control officer John Hezlep said. "We had to have masks on to go into the house.

The couple said they were waiting to bury the cats.

Police said pools were used as litter boxes.

"They went as far as to buy wading pools to put cat litter in," Hezlep said. "The cats were using them for litter boxes. A lot of them have feline leukemia."

Sumter County investigators said there was no criminal intent of animal cruelty. The Sheriff's Office has not yet decided whether the couple will face animal cruelty charges.

Many of the cats found in the couple's home will have to be euthanized.

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References

Local 6 News - Aug 17, 2005

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