Hoarding -over 50 cats Ontario, CA (US) Incident Date: Thursday, Nov 10, 2005 County: San Bernardino Local Map: available Disposition: Not Charged Person of Interest: Joe Romero

Case ID: 6057 Classification: Hoarding Animal: cat View more cases in CA (US) Login to Watch this Case

Animal control officers rescued more than 50 cats from a squalid mobile home early Nov 11, a day after a 46-year-old man's body was found inside. The man, identified by the Inland Valley Humane Society as Joe Romero, died of apparent natural causes and was discovered by relatives about 7 p.m. Thursday in the home in the 1500 block of East Fifth Street. Garbage and feces were found throughout the home. The discovery of the 54 cats was a surprise to management of the mobile home park, who hadn't received any complaints of foul odor, filthy conditions or stray animals.

"This caught me completely off-guard," said Dwight Hatchett, manager of the Fernwood Ontario Mobile Home Park. "I still can't believe somebody can live like that."

Romero moved into the home in July 2004 and lived with his sister and niece, said Shelby Martinez, cruelty investigator with the humane society. He had some of the cats when he moved into the park, she said.

"Most of the cats appear to be in fair condition, but they're all being taken to the Inland Valley Humane Society where they can be examined by veterinary staff," Martinez said.

Martinez added that some of the cats have upper respiratory infections and mouth ulcers.

By midmorning, officers had already hauled off 29 of the cats and had begun to fill additional cages. Felines of various ages, from newborn kittens to 3-year-old cats, sat in metal and plastic carriers outside the home.

Officers searched inside and continued to find cats and litters hiding under and behind stacks of furniture.

"Because of the amount of junk and debris, there's tons of places for them to hide where we can't walk," Martinez said.

Romero's sister, who said she owns two of the cats, could be cited if the humane society's veterinarians determine they are ill. The woman signed the rest of the cats over to the humane society for adoption if they are determined to be in good health. She declined to comment for this story.

The humane society rescued 20 cats from a Pomona home in December, where a woman was living in filthy conditions. In May, police and animal control officers rescued 165 dogs and cats from a home in Rialto.

Anyone wishing to adopt one of the animals rescued Friday may call the Inland Valley Humane Society at (909) 623-9777.

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References

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, CA - Nov 12, 2005

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