25 cats seized from hoarding situation in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Twenty-five cats were seized from a Lancaster County, Pennsylvania hoarding situation Thursday morning by Pet Pantry of Lancaster County. The home was later condemned.

Two useful tags. Click either to see the articles: Toxic to cats | Dangers to cats

This is a heartbreaking situation, as stated by Dr. Bryan Langlois, the Pet Pantry’s medical director in an interview with Lancasteronline.com

“”It is always sad in some ways when you remove animals from a situation where the owner clearly was heartbroken over this turn of events. This was not a case of someone being cruel to these cats, but rather just someone who got in over their head in the ability to care for so many, as often is the case in most hoarding situations. It appears initially the cats are in generally good health.”

Cat rescued from Lancaster County hoarding situation

The name and address of the person who owned the cats haven’t been released. Since there is no animal cruelty involved, it’s highly unlikely the owner will face charges. All of the cats were spayed or neutered.

Facebook: Pet Pantry of Lancaster County issued an update Friday afternoon

 “All of the cats we took in from yesterday are adjusting well. We have now begun working on giving the ones who need extra medical attention the care they need. Some of the cats may be available for adoption on Monday. We will keep you updated. Again, anyone who wants to donate to their care can do so via our website.”

Each cat will undergo a medical exam

The Pet Pantry of Lancaster County is a 501c3 non-profit that meets the needs of families and animals in their community through the operation of a Pet Food Bank Program, Lower Cost Spay/Neuter/Vaccination Programs, and by supporting animal rescue through their adoption programs.

The cost of examining, treating and vaccinating the cats is estimated at between $75 and $100 per cat.

Elisa

Sources 1

Photos courtesy of Facebook: Pet Pantry of Lancaster County.

 

 

 

 

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32 thoughts on “25 cats seized from hoarding situation in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania”

    • The media articles are saying seized. It was more of a surrender because he had little time to vacate the property and he couldn’t take the cats with him. He’s sleeping at a friends house on their couch and other friends are keeping the 6 cats he was allowed to keep.

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  1. It was clarified in another post by someone who was actually there that the place being condemned had nothing to do with the cats or the condition of their living space. This was a case of the landlord not keeping up with repairs of the building and keeping it up to code. And the cats were not seized, they were surrendered. These cats were rescued, some very sick, and nursed back to health by this person. It also should be noted that this person did reach out to local rescues over the years for them to take some, but the rescues were always full. If you work in rescue, you know this is often the case.

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    • Rescues will tell you they’re interested in helping shelter cats. You’re on your own if you get overwhelmed. I actually had a friend in rescue post on her wall that if any of her friends had too many personal cats to not come running to her for help.

      Craigslist is dangerous, newspaper ads are dangerous and taking cats to a shelter could very well mean their death. You’re on your own to rehome and that’s very sad, especially when you were just trying to help the cats.

      I could tell when I was writing this that it wasn’t the typical hoarding case because the cats were basically healthy and had been well cared for.

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    • What got them reported? The landlord or did someone see a few cats looking out the window or what? Someone had to have started this.

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  2. I’m, actually, disgusted by this.
    We have gone way overboard with the hoarding issue.
    I don’t find anything that would indicate that 25 cats that had been spayed/neutered and in good health should be removed.
    Perhaps the home was later condemned (no explanation), but I’m not reading that the cats lived in filth or were mistreated.
    WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE???
    These cats were ripped from this woman for no good reason that I’m reading about.
    This hoarding overboard crap needs to stop.

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    • I think it was just an ordinance issue. Someone likely called animal control or something and reported a bunch of cats looking out windows and when it was checked out it was found they were over the limit of 6 cats allowed by law in that city. Won’t be the first time that’s happened. If you watch the video the cats look fine.

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      • Then, why wouldn’t it be the job of cat lovers/caretakers to fight these ordinances that allowed the cats to be removed?
        Anymore, I won’t entertain any comments from people who complain but won’t carry their happy ass-s to council meetings and speak out in order to change ordinances.
        We did it here.

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        • They’ve commented they had 24 hours to vacate the property. They’re homeless right now. How do you live on the street with 25 cats? Friends have the 6 they kept. They list all of their belongings except a few personal items.

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    • Agree with you 100%! All they succeeded in doing was tearing apart a loving person from their fur babies. SHAME! Go out & save those living on the streets instead.

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  3. To the wife and husband who gave all that they could give to GODs cats and kittens.
    I would like to apologise for how you’ve been misspoken about in this article.
    I’m praying that you will find a home of your very own. So that you may continue the work you have been called to do.

    Thank you for making this world a better place to live in.

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    • I’m glad someone who is close to the situation came forward and explained things. When I write I have to base it on what news media provides. They left out a lot in their reporting. This family really needs to find a home out in the country where they don’t have to stick to fewer cats than they’re able to care for.

      It seems to me this is more a zoning violation than anything. The cats were healthy and all were spayed or neutered. Usually with hoarders there are kittens running around everywhere, as well as the adult cats.

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    • I said in the article no animal cruelty was involved. I never said one word against the person(s) who had the cats. I’m hoping this article will make people in that area aware the cats will be going up for adoption and maybe taking one or two of them and to help Pet Pantry raise funds. It’s a big responsibility taking on 25 cats at one time. They’re looking at over $2000 to vet and treat the cats. I don’t know them personally, but most rescues don’t have that kind of money laying around.

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  4. Am I a heretic to express my discomfort over this seizure? Twenty-five cats is a large but not completely unreasonable number — hoarding experts agree that the acceptable number varies according to an individual’s capacity to care for them. All the cats were spayed or neutered and were found to be in “generally good health … and adjusting well” the next day. This suggests that they were not suffering in their environment. I wonder if the owner had/has legal counsel &/or the legal niceties were observed in this seizure. I also wonder about the grounds for condemning the home — there is no mention of unsanitary conditions and it may simply have been in disrepair which could have been remedied. “Hoarding” is a label which is often used loosely to stigmatize an owner and prevent objective evaluation of a situation. Was this action absolutely necessary? Were other measures considered and attempted?

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    • There was a recent case in Georgia involving small dogs. The owners were allowed to keep around half a dozen of them and homes were found for the rest through a local humane society. Then volunteers got together and repaired the home for the elderly couple.

      I agree with you completely. They’re still calling it a “hoarding” case and ALL of the cats were “seized.”

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      • Actually, the owner was allowed to keep 6 cats which is the legal limit within city limits. Since the home was condemned 2 of the cats are with a family member; other 4 are with a vet tech who helped arrange the surrender.

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    • The city came to the home and it was condemned because it was in serious disrepair; home was rented and landlord wasn’t maintaining. Animal Control officers worked with the owner to provide time to find an organization that could take the cats and provide the opportunity to find them forever homes. Instead of providing this extra time they could have called in the only open shelter in the area. This organization would not have been kind in their trapping methods and the cats would have instantly been euthanized.

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    • Thank you, Marianna.
      I am over the top about these bogus hoarding situations when the cats are happy, healthy, and well cared for. So, the home was in poor repair. It didn’t seem to affect the quality of the cats’ lives.
      Why don’t we focus on the hoarding issues of the Welfare mom with the 13 kids, unkempt and hungry? And, then, for tax purposes, claims her nieces/nephews as dependents also?
      Why aren’t chicken, pig, cattle farmers charged as hoarders? Some of these poor animals live in deplorable conditions.
      My job on earth isn’t to judge anyone. Unless blatant abuse hits me in the face, nothing is my business.

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      • You have made very good points to this story. The animals were well cared for and yet taken from the one who loved & cared for them. I could not have made a choice of 6 from the 25 that I loved. So sorry for this person who had to give up their “fur children”.

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        • I went and looked at the photos on his Facebook page. It appears clean and the cats look happy. It would be nice if he could find a place outside of the city where he could care for more cats.

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        • hardest decision was to pick which 6. they were all loved very much and never wanted for anything..still having hard time functioning without them. i miss the babies that i will never get to see again. or to hold again. it is very hard.

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    • I am in the same frame of mind-If they are all in good condition, being fed and vaccinated UTD on vet care-WTF is wrong with her having this many cats??? I bet she is HEARTBROKEN that they were taken away from her. NO COMPASSION PEOPLE!!!! I am with the hoarder this time. Who guages that 25 is hoarding???

      Reply

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