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11 cats found in filthy house euthanized

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By KATIE CORONADO

kcoronado@wfla.com

Published: June 25, 2009

Updated: 06/25/2009 12:22 am

The complaints about all the cats had been coming in for years.

On Wednesday, Hillsborough County Animal Services finally served a search warrant at a Valrico home, finding eight dead cats and at least an additional 11 living in what investigators said were deplorable conditions.

By the end of the day, investigators had to euthanize all 11 cats because they were suffering from a variety of illnesses, according to animal services spokeswoman Marti Ryan.

Investigators found resident Alice Santis, 74, at the home, 516 Crowned Eagle Court, and took her to a local hospital.

As an ambulance transported Santis, investigators searched the property and found the cats and the house filled with feces, urine and mold.

"The entire house had excessive feces, wall to wall," animal services supervisor Pam Perry said. "We found a cat in the kitchen with massive eye problems."

At least 20 more cats from the property were thought to be roaming the neighborhood, Perry said.

Animal services officials said they had received anonymous complaints about this property since 2006 but just recently obtained enough cooperation from neighbors to serve the warrants.

No charges had been filed, Perry said.

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