Hoarding pets continues to be a major issue in the city.
Less than a week after city council turned down the idea of restricting how many pets a person can have, around a dozen animals were taken from a home on Dease Street. Police and animal services removed the pets from the home Thursday. While seven cats and two dogs were sent to the Humane Society to be looked after, five other animals were taken to a local veterinary clinic and will likely be put down.
The homeowner, who didn't want to be named, said the animals were strays that were living in a van on his property. He had spoken to police about the situation Wednesday evening and thought the matter was resolved until he came home Thursday afternoon to find that the animals had been taken.
Humane Society executive director Glen Wilson said he was told that the home has many other animals in it.
"They feel there could be 20 or 30 more cats there," Wilson said.
An agent from the Humane Society usually deals with hoarding cases but is out of town for training. Wilson said going back into the home to rescue more animals will be the Humane Society's first priority. Hoarding of pets is generally complaint driven.
"Otherwise we don't really know about it unless you get in somebody's house," he said.
It's an issue that seems to be more and more common. Wilson said they sometimes take animals from hoarding situations a couple of times a week. Thursday's situation has raised the cat population at the Humane Society to 121. Wilson reminds the public that cats are free to adopt because of how many are currently at the Rosslyn Road location.
