All 31 cats that were caught at an east Mesa home where the body of the homeowner was found dead on Sunday, have been euthanized.
Bretta Nelson, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Humane Society, told the Tribune on Wednesday that all of the cats were either too sick or too wild to rescue. Many of them also were malnourished and underweight and had to be euthanized on Tuesday and Wednesday, Nelson said.
On Sunday, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a home in the 9300 block of East Dallas Street near Ellsworth and Adobe roads in an unincorporated area of Mesa for a welfare check on the homeowner. Upon arrival, deputies discovered the cats and the body of Maria Elena Cimino. The home reeked of ammonia and had to be deemed hazardous because of air quality.
One of the cats also bit a sheriff’s deputy, and he is being checked for rabies, Nelson said.
It was not known how long Cimino, who is believed to have been in her early 60s, had been dead in her home. The cause of Cimino’s death was listed as accidental, stemming from complications of probable hyperthermia due to increased environmental temperatures, according to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Some of the cats were believed to have escaped in what Nelson described as one of the worst hoarding situations they had dealt with.
“It was one of the worst situations in the way disease among the cats was being spread, and these situations are the hardest because in these hoarding situations, more cats are attracted to the house because of other cats already being there,” Nelson said. “It’s a very, very sad outcome.”
Contact writer: (480) 898-6533 or msakal@evtrib.com
snowshoe37 posted at 7:05 pm on Wed, Aug 22, 2012.
I'm so sad that these cats had to loose their lives. Especially the kittens that were not given a chance to be healed or tamed and put in a loving home. I wish from now on, Arizona Humane Society would not be the ones to respond to animal cases, especially if it envolves a cat. Since Cheryl Newmann was let go and they got the new Director Guy somebody, the organization had really gone downhill. Some past workers blame it on the Board of Directors, but none the less, AHS isn't looking out for the welfare of the animals. especially cats. It takes more than 1 day to see the real personality of a frighten cat. None of these cats were given a chance. AHS is having their fund raiser this weekend and I have been a doner for about 20 years, but with the murder of all of these cats, I believe I will donate my money to another organization. I donate to 14 charities and there are many who need the money. Nationally 70% of the cats do not make it out of shelters alive. I bet AHS numbers are more like 80 - 85%. I am very disappointed in them and will not be donating to them this weekend.
loubator posted at 7:59 pm on Wed, Aug 22, 2012.
So what? There's plenty more cats out there if you want them. Zillions of them. How many would you like? 30? Take them home, we have two thousand more.
Westwood1 posted at 8:25 pm on Wed, Aug 22, 2012.
@snowshoe 37
During the summer months, AHS is taking in anywhere from 100-200 cats and kittens a day. Do the math. Where do you expect these animals to go? There is a sign out in front of their admissions lobby that says cats being turned in will likely be put down. Owners just walk right by it and dump their cat.
Where is your criticism of Maricopa County Animal Control that won't accept owned animals on weekends? Where do you think people go to next? Especially when they aren't forced to pay a turn in fee.
As for your comment on the director, just because someone isn't out for publicity, it doesn't mean they aren't trying to make a difference. Change takes time and when you are in a metro area that has an intake that is second only to LA, there are a lot of issues that need to be addressed.
And I sure hope PETA, HSUS or the ASPCA aren't one of the "14 charities" you support. If they are, I suggest you do some research on them.
ChillbertAZ posted at 3:40 pm on Sun, Aug 26, 2012.
All animal control facilities (except Sheriff Joe's) are disgusting and the people working in them should be euthanized. Humane Society is inhumane, and they euthanize animals just because their ears aren't symmetrical or for many other dumb sick reasons. These cats didn't need to be killed, they just don't feel like finding homes for them. We open our borders to every illegal that wants to come collect food stamps, free medical, housing and free education, but we kill animals that don't have homes? It's sick and I say euthanize all Libtards, and everyone associated with this sick madness. That would improve the earth tremendously.
How much does it take to feed a kitten? Not much. But we can spend trillions on biological weapons, trillions on dumping aluminum, barium, and strontium in our atmosphere for the GeoEngineering of our weather, send trillions overseas to every country on earth, let criminals into the White House to steal trillions of tax payer dollars without even being questioned for it, but we can't feed some innocent kittens. I hope these are the end times, because every one of these people and anyone who agrees with them is going straight to h*ll...