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Shelter workers find 100 cats, rescue 70 from home

DALEVILLE, Ind. (WISH) – Animal care workers say they found nearly 100 cats living in a condemned Daleville home. The Muncie Animal Shelter removed nearly 70 cats Wednesday and shelter leaders plan to rescue the rest Thursday.

Officers discovered the cats after someone called police to report that a woman died in the home Tuesday night.

Shelter workers said the cats appear to be healthy, despite living through deplorable conditions.

“Every square inch of the home is covered in feces and urine,” Muncie Animal Shelter Director, Phil Peckinpaugh said.

Peckinpaugh’s team said they couldn’t stand the smell of the home, so they entered wearing hazmat suits and respirators. Four people lived in the home, including one child, according to Peckinpaugh.

Deborah Morgan, who’s lived down the street from the property for 39 years, said she never saw anyone who lived there or their cats.

“That’s excessive,” Morgan said. “It’s not healthy.”

From cat food to cleaning supplies, people are pitching in to help. Stacie Buxton and her son dropped off a trunk full of donations at the shelter.

“It just wasn’t enough. We want to bring more,” Buxton said. “We’d like to come back Friday and bring some more.”

Shelter workers say 13 of the rescued cats are newborns. Most of the females are pregnant. None of the cats can be adopted until they’ve been cleared by a veterinarian.

“I have no idea how we’re going to pay to spay and neuter all these animals and vaccinate all these animals,” Peckinpaugh said.

Muncie shelter leaders will reach out to other agencies for help. They’re also accepting monetary donations.

“It’s definitely the largest number of cats we’ve seen in a home,” he said.

Peckinpaugh said the people living in the home are cooperating and he doesn’t expect them to face any charges.

One neighbor who declined to speak on camera stood up for whoever lived in the home.

“I think you should leave them alone,” the neighbor said.

People interested in donating or volunteering for the Muncie Animal Shelter can call 765-747-4851.