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Many of seized cats will be put down

By THERESA BLACKWELL
Published April 11, 2007

CLEARWATER - The fates of the 120 cats and two dogs seized in a condemned home on Union Street moved a step closer to resolution Monday when the owner of the animals signed them over to Pinellas County Animal Services.

It was the largest number of animals the county has ever seized in an animal cruelty case, said Dr. Kenny Mitchell, a veterinarian and director of Pinellas County Animal Services, which took two dogs and 72 cats in the seizure. SPCA Tampa Bay took 48 more cats to its shelter in Largo.

"Conditions were as bad as any we have experienced," he said.

Mitchell said the owner of the cats had been spending about $800 a month for veterinary bills and to feed the animals, while ignoring the horrible living conditions for humans and animals.

Five of the cats in very poor health at Animal Services have already been euthanized. And starting today, the county anticipates needing to euthanize most of the remaining cats that went to its facilities, Mitchell said, because of poor health or because they are considered too feral to be adopted.

Dr. Welch Agnew, a veterinarian and assistant director at Animal Services, said the shelter is hoping that once some of the sickest are gone, others will start to respond to humans more and qualify for adoption.

"Right now, a lot of them are just huddling together," he said. "They are still scared."

SPCA Tampa Bay public relations manager Marissa Weeks said many of the cats they are caring for are elderly and have problems like upper respiratory infections, dental issues and behavior problems. But some will go out for adoption.

"We will work with them to rehabilitate them," she said. "We're not giving up on any of them yet."

Both shelters say they are bursting with friendly, adoptable cats and they expect more as the spring kittens arrive. Agnew said those might make better pets than the ones taken from the Union Street home.

"Some of these may never get socialized," Agnew said. "They've had quite a bit of trauma and they don't soon forget."

Theresa Blackwell can be reached at tblackwell@sptimes.com or 727 445-4170.

Fast Facts:

To adopt

- Pinellas County Animal Services, 12450 Ulmerton Road, Largo, (727) 582-2600.

- SPCA Tampa Bay, 9099 130th Ave. N, Largo, (727) 586-3591.

[Last modified April 10, 2007, 22:47:49]