Hoarding - 45 cats seized Thomaston, GA (US)Incident Date: Friday, Oct 14, 2005 County: Upson Local Map: available Disposition: Not Charged
Person of Interest: Melissa A. Barron
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Cats seized from a Sunnyside home Oct. 14, are now up for adoption at the Upson County Animal Shelter. The cats former owner, Melissa Barron, would receive citations for nuisance, and up to 45 citations for animal cruelty if she claimed the animals.
Barron would have been cited for violating Upson County Ordinance number 72 which states: no owner shall fail to provide his/her animals with sufficient, wholesome and nutritious food, water in sufficient quantities, proper air and shelter.
A local veterinarian inspected 12 of the 45 cats.
According to his statement, the cats were in over all good health.
�The 12 cats I inspected were in good flesh, but all were showing signs consistent with upper respiratory infection,� the veterinarian wrote.
�The cats had sneezing, runny noses, unilateral or bilateral conjunctions with evidence of tear flow.
�Allergies in this case are highly unlikely due to all cats being affected and being caged in overcrowded conditions.
�In the presented cats, the disease appeared to be mild. In sick or immunocompromised individuals, I would expect more serious illness.
�This type of disease is aerosolized and spread from cat to cat.�
According to Animal Control Officer Smart Web, only animals that are adoptable will be put up for adoption.
�If the animal needs to be put down we will have to do so,� Web said. �Animals that are adoptable, and there are some, will be put up for adoption.�
Barron said she always wanted the cats to find another home.
�Finding the cats a home was the whole point of me getting them,� she said. �I want them all to find good homes.�
Barron has lived in Thomaston a little over a month. She said she brought the animals to Georgia from North Carolina.
According to Barron, she has had some cats up to six months.
�I'm just working by myself,� Barron said. �I'm not an actual rescue. I just want to help them.�
The cats have a short time frame in which to be adopted, according to Upson County regulations.
Since the animals are up for adoption, they have two days to be adopted, if the animal is in good health.
According to Web, he had to turn away other cats because of limited storing space. �We have a limited amount of space here,� Web said. �Unfortunately, we don't have enough room to keep all 45 cats and other cats from the county.� Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
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