SUMMIT HILL -- More than a dozen cats were found dead inside a home described to be a house of filth in Carbon County.
The Carbon County Humane Officer says 15 dead cats were removed from that house in Summit Hill.
“This is absolutely without a doubt the worst one I've seen,” said Carbon County Humane Society Police Officer Donna Crumb as she described what she found inside the house.
Crumb said the 15 dead cats were severely neglected without food, water, or care for quite some time, possibly months, and living in filth.
“The situation here is so horrendous and the cats have been neglected for so long, they were trying to root through anything and everything to find to survive in the kitchen. There's bags ripped open,” said Crumb.
Crumb was called here last Thursday by the code enforcement officer who condemned the home.
Crumb says it was difficult finding the dead cats since every room inside has at least three or four feet of clutter, trash, and debris.
“It is horrendous, can't go in there without a Tyvek suit and a mask. It's full gear for this one,” said Crumb. “It's deplorable conditions. You can't go in there and breathe. We're all putting Vicks under our nose.”
Crumb says they did find five living cats who were taken to the Carbon County Friends of Animals shelter in Jim Thorpe. They will be available for adoption once they recover.
Worker Dana Dunbar says the cats were in terrible conditions when they came in.
“They were horrible, horrific smell,” said Dunbar. “One of them, Grayson we named him, he was filled with nothing but knots, debris from the house. The other ones needed to be bathed multiple times.”
Crumb is not disclosing who the home belongs to but says the investigation is ongoing and someone could be charged.
“We could be looking at neglect, cruelty, and aggravated cruelty depending on the grading,” said Crumb.
Crumb says at one time it's believed that 30 to 40 cats lived in that home. She plans to be back at the home, hoping to find more cats, and hoping to find them alive.