December 21, 2015
Authorities say more than 70 cats were rescued from a hoarding situation at a home in Gloucester County on Thursday afternoon, NJ.com reports.
A strong odor of cat waste had been reported at the home on Sixth Avenue in the borough's Grove neighborhood. The female resident of the house had reportedly been removed from the property before officials came to collect the pets.
The Grove is a historic collection of 19th-century cottages, many of which are situated along tiny, pedestrian-only lanes. Some houses sit only a few feet apart from each other, and neighbors said they had been suspicious of the situation for months, catching glimpses of cats and kittens in the house's windows.
More than 70 cats were removed from the house, authorities told NJ.com. Gloucester County Animal Shelter told NJ.com that it took in 43 of the cats, which have been deemed healthy and ready for adoption.
"The first priority is the safety of the animals," Matt Stanton, a spokesman for the NJSPCA, told NJ.com. "It depends on the condition of the cats. Sometimes we'll have the owner sign the animals over to us, and that will be it. But if we find something horrible — evidence of abuse or neglect — we will take action."
Gloucester County Animal shelter is currently offering a two-for-one deal on cats and kittens.
The shelter was cited in a recent state report for euthanizing more than 300 animals this year before the state-mandated seven-day holding period had expired.
County spokeswoman Deb Sellitto told NJ.com Friday that none of the cats rescued from the Pitman home have been euthanized.
Read more from NJ.com here.
