Authorities rescued 85 cats and a dog from a Chester County home that had been deemed unfit for human occupancy, an animal welfare group announced Thursday.
Rescuers took two days to remove all the animals from the Phoenixville home, the Brandywine Valley SPCA said. They also found the body of a dead cat.
"The animals were living in deplorable conditions, including several layers of feces covering the floor. The animals range in condition from good to poor," the shelter said in a press release.
The lone dog taken from the home is about nine years old, blind, underweight, has a severe skin condition that left most of her side and rear hairless and will have to have all her teeth pulled due to a "severe dental disease," the BVSPCA said.
The cats range in age from about one year old to seniors, the shelter said. Most were covered with fleas and had ear mites, and many had untreated wounds, according to the shelter.
"Despite the deplorable conditions in which they lived, many of the cats are well socialized," the BVSPCA said, adding that the healthiest and most well-adjusted are currently up for adoption, while more will be adoptable when their condition improves.
Ten of the cats are currently up for adoption at the BVSPCA's Georgetown location, while at least 15 others were at their West Chester shelter.
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"This is a very unfortunate situation of a well-meaning cat lover getting in over her head and not reaching out for help," BVSPCA Chief Executive Officer Adam Lamb said in a statement.
"There's no excuse for animals to suffer in conditions like this," Lamb continued. "We need the community to know we're here to help, and we depend on neighbors, relatives and friends to report circumstances of concern before conditions get this bad."
