BROWNSTOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Officials said between 50 and 100 cats were found inside a Brownstown Township home after neighbors complained about the smell.
Brownstown Township Deputy police Chief Andrew Starzec said this was one of the most unusual cases of animal hoarding he’s ever seen.
“There’s estimated between 50 and 100 cats right now, and I know that our officers were out there sometime late last year and estimated at that time between 20 and 30,” Starzec said. “So you can see the numbers are increasing within a relatively short period of time, too.”
Neighbors called authorities and expressed concern about the smell of urine and ammonia coming from the home, police said.
“It was starting to become a real problem with the residents,” Starzec said.
The homeowner is expected to face several fines, but the cats were all healthy.
“The cats were well cared for,” Starzec said. “They seem to be a healthy weight and were pretty good. Unfortunately, the Brownstown ordinance states three animals were in the house, and there were way more than that.”
Now that all the cats have been rescued, the animal shelter is struggling to find them homes as quickly as possible.
“Now that we’ve discovered all these cats, we’re trying to get them removed from the house,” Brownstown Township Manager Brian C. Peters said. “Remove the nuisance and find them homes.”
That’s easier said than done. The animal shelter is now at capacity, which means workers are planning extended adoption hours and events.
If you would like to adopt one of the cats, you can reach the animal shelter at 734-675-4008. Adoption fees are waived for veterans.