Nearly 60 cats and kittens were found Wednesday living in a single Sandy Springs condominium in unsanitary conditions, and the bodies of 15 others were found in a freezer, according to the LifeLine Animal Project.
The animal hoarding situation was discovered when Sandy Springs police obtained an inspection warrant for the condo at 9400 Roberts Drive, LifeLine spokeswoman Karen Hirsch said.
Sgt. Sal Ortega of Sandy Springs police said they worked more than six hours on the scene recovering 59 cats and attempting to rescue more inside the home and in the parking lot. Some were found inside the walls of the condo, he said.
LifeLine veterinarians triaged and treated the cats with respiratory and eye infections Wednesday night, Ortega said.
The homeowner lives alone and told officers that he’s at a difficult stage in his life and the cat situation got out of control, Ortega said. Animal Control Services visited in July after complaints from neighbors about an odor and found the homeowner with only a few cats, he added.
The dead cats will be autopsied, and if authorities find that the animals were killed, the condo owner could be charged, Ortega said.
LifeLine recently took in 16 kittens from a property in Walton County where stray cats had been fed and multiplied, AJC.com previously reported. Hirsch said the Fulton animal shelters are nearly at capacity for cats and that the organization is in “urgent need" of foster homes.
LifeLife is seeking foster homes for cats who are already in their care to make room the rescued cats and kittens. Those interested in helping can sign up to foster at LifeLineAnimal.org/fostercats or donate to support their ongoing care at LifeLineAnimal.org/helpsavelives.
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