The Huntingdon County Humane Society is asking for help after officials say more than 60 cats were removed from a Huntingdon cat sanctuary over Labor Day weekend, including 38 that were found living in a moving van.HUNTINGDON BORO, Pa. (WJAC) —
The cats were found living in deplorable conditions while in the care of Rose Cottage Cat Sanctuary Inc. after the Huntingdon Borough police and Huntingdon Borough Code Enforcement received complaints, officials say.
"The house is unlivable between the urine, feces and flies, maggots and fleas. As soon as you pulled up in front of it, the smell hit you," said HCHS Board President Sandee Warsing, a long-time veterinary technician. "Those poor cats had been breathing that for months or even years."
Authorities say 38 cats were removed from the rented moving van and 22 from the home.
"We had to gear up with masks, gloves and boots and had to take frequent trips back outside to get fresh air as we worked. The house had no running water and there were only a few rooms with electricity," Warsing said. "There were cats in the basement, first floor, second floor and in the attic. All were malnourished, dehydrated, anemic and had severe respiratory issues. They had chemical burns on their skin from the urine and feces."
Three cats were found dead and decomposing in the van, and one was found dead in the house. The odor was noticeable from a block away, officials say.
"When they loaded the van onto the bed, we observed large piles of maggots on the pavement under it and they were falling from the crevices of the doors," said Sandy Hess, HCHS treasurer and veterinary technician. "When we started removing the cats, feces covered almost all of the interior surfaces of the van and it was soaked in urine. Some of the cats were in crates. The only food was in a bag with maggots all through it and there were no litter boxes or water."
Almost half of the cats were in critical condition, and officials say 22 needed to be euthanized – a veterinarian saying that was the only humane course of action.
Two of the cats died Sunday night into Monday and one of the females rescued gave birth to four kittens after arriving at the shelter, officials say.
There are still some cats living in the home, but officials say they are working to have them removed.
"Our staff worked overtime through the holiday weekend to help care for these animals. They deserve a great deal of respect from this community," Warsing said. "This has been an incredible emotional strain for them to see pets in this condition. We will be providing grief counseling for our employees in the near future."
In the meantime, the Huntingdon County Humane Society says they will need financial help caring for the cats including ongoing medical treatment, vaccinations, spaying or neutering, flea and tick treatment and regular care.
Authorities say charges are pending in the case, and the animals will not be put up for adoption until legal proceedings are complete and the cats have received the proper care.
Humane Society officials are also reminding the public to be mindful and research the organizations they are donating to and trusting their pets to.
For more information, call the Humane Society at 814-643-7387.
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