WASHINGTON 鈥斅燗 real estate agent checking on a property in Northwest D.C. Tuesday night found some unwelcome guests in the house: two women who were staying there illegally 鈥� and their 63 cats and kittens.
The Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League was called to the house聽in the 800 block of Decatur Street Northwest聽and recovered 44 of the cats and kittens. The condition of the house was described as 鈥渄eplorable鈥� by Lisa LaFontaine, president and CEO of WHS-WARL.
Feces was all over the house 鈥渋nside and outside of litter boxes,鈥� and many of the cats and kittens had upper respiratory infections and were underweight.
鈥淭his is an extreme case of hoarding and inhumane treatment of animals,鈥� LaFontaine said in a statement.
Scott Giacoppo, chief community animal welfare officer at WHS-WARL, says the two women left the property with 20 of the cats 鈥� it鈥檚 not clear whether they鈥檒l be allowed to keep them.
It is also unclear what charges the pair could face.
鈥淚t would probably be a neglect case 鈥� we鈥檙e still looking into it; it鈥檚 an active case. We鈥檙e working with the owners and we鈥檙e evaluating the cats,”聽Giacoppo said.
The sudden influx of cats, many of whom need medical treatment for their infections, is taxing the facilities of WHS-WARL. Twenty-seven聽of the kittens are less than a聽month old and at that age need constant care.
Giacoppo says that on a typical day, five to 10聽cats may come in to the shelters.
鈥淏ut gosh, we got聽44聽in [on Tuesday night]! We鈥檙e always jostling for cage space,鈥� Giacoppo said.
The incident comes just days before the organization launches its Clear the Shelters event on Saturday. Adoption fees will be waived so that qualified adopters can take a pet home. Giacoppo says the just-recovered cats and kittens will need homes, but they won鈥檛 be available for adoption until they can get a thorough health and behavioral assessment.
Giacoppo says people can help by coming in and looking over the animals already available at WHS-WARL.
鈥淲e need empty cages. We need the community to help us out by coming down and adopting,”聽Giacoppo said.
The event聽will be held July 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Both WHS-WARL adoption centers 鈥� at Oglethorpe Street Northwest聽and at New York Avenue Northeast聽鈥� will be open for the program.
The Washington Humane Society 鈥� Washington Animal Rescue League has teamed up with ,聽to host the second annual Clear the Shelters nationwide pet adoption drive.
