The sights, smells, and sounds inside of this dilapidated Middletown, Delaware home must have been bone-chilling when officers entered — given that 56 neglected, sick, and dying cats were trapped there. Babies and adults as old as 10 alike were living in filthy, “deplorable conditions.” Many were so covered in fleas that they had lost substantial amounts of hair. Some of the poor cats were starving and emaciated. More still were suffering from upper respiratory conditions. One sweet cat just couldn’t hold on and was dead by the time rescuers arrived. Another was saved, but in such bad health that it had to be euthanized.
For so many cats to become so ill requires a long, concentrated period of abuse and neglect. At any point these folks could have stopped adopting cats, or reached out to a local shelter for help, but instead they opted to imprison 56 cats and let them slowly, miserably die. Owning animals is a privilege, and one that the two people responsible have clearly squandered. We need to make sure they don’t get the chance to do this again. Sign the petition and ask that the Delaware Office of Animal Welfare suggest a lifetime ban on owning animals as part of sentencing for these two people!