Reno Police Department, along with Washoe County Animal Service, removed 101 living cats, five deceased cats, and several dogs from a local home.
On Tuesday, authorities responded to a call resulting in a grim discovery after neighbors made several reports of suspicious activity. The Washoe County Regional Animal Services issued a search warrant and sent a team to the property to investigate. Upon entering the home, what officials found inside was horrifying.
Shyanne Schull, Director of Animal Services, said, "the original call was for the number of animals that were suspected at the property, a neighbor had complained about the suspect of more than the legal limit of animals, however all the animals were kept inside, and so it was unknown to us, how many animals actually were living inside the residence."
Officials noted the stench and odor, prompting the team to wear masks and specific hazmat, clean-up type suits to enter the home, inspect, and remove the cats from the property.
The cats were transported to the shelter and remain under full supervision by the WCRAS facility.
Schull added, "my staff are here providing the care cleaning up after the cats, and of course medical care for any of the cats that need medical care, so it is a heavy lift and it is the service that my staff work really hard to make sure we're providing the best care for the animals that are here, but it does create a strain, and it also creates a back log of service delivery to our community."
The current conditions of the cats are still being properly examined and processed into the shelter. This situation has pushed the facility into full capacity, prompting staff to work extended hours, helping the cats recover from inhumane conditions.
Investigators are in the process of unraveling this case as it unfolds. Officials are urging the public to refrain from surrendering any cats to the shelter at this time.  The cat capacity has reached its limit and leaves no room for additional drop-offs.
