In a shocking incident, authorities recently found several dozen live cats and nearly 250 dead animals from an east Montgomery County home. The live cats have been seized.
On Aug. 4, the Montgomery County Animal Services seized 74 live cats, eight live raccoons, and two live dogs, along with 198 dead cats found in a meat freezer and 46 dead raccoons, out of a Porter home, according to the Montgomery County Animal Cruelty Taskforce.
After receiving a follow-up animal welfare call at the property, a Montgomery County Precinct 2 Constable’s animal control officer found foul odor coming from inside the suspected house. According to the animal cruelty task force, the surviving animals were found in “deplorable conditions”.
The animal cruelty task force added that prior to seizing the animals a warrant was obtained and served by Precinct 2. It also noted that the seizure was so large that the county shelter in Conroe was filled to its capacity.
“While the seized animals will not be available for adoption, foster or rescue until a final determination of custody, MCAS is requesting assistance from the community, in the form of rescues, fosters or citizens adopting currently available animals,” said a statement from the animal cruelty task force.
The task force described the owner of the house as a “sub-permitted wildlife rehabber.”
According to Pct. 2 Cpt. Greg Thomason, the head of the task force, two elderly individuals reportedly lived in the house. “The ammonia concentration inside the house was 30 parts per million, which is extremely hazardous,” Thomason said.
Possession of the surviving raccoons has been taken over by the fully permitted rehabilitator to continue rehabilitating the animals. Prior to this, the live animals were taken to the Montgomery County Animal Shelter for intake and evaluation of their conditions, said the animal cruelty task force.
“Please continue to make us aware of hoarding, collecting, neglect, abandonment, and any other form of animal cruelty,” the animal cruelty task force said in a statement, adding: “Working collaboratively, the task force is fighting back against animal cruelty.”
