Authorities in Fort Myers, Florida responded to an anonymous tip and found 72 cats living in horrible conditions in a home on Fourth Street. Rescue workers wore hazmat suits while extracting the felines, many of which were confined to cages and were found crawling through feces and urine. Some of the cats had upper respiratory infections and were suffering from severe flea infestations and infections. The house has been temporarily deemed unlivable, and the owner, Sandra Berkshire, is staying with friends at this time.
Response to Hoarder Situation
Neighbors were astonished to see the sheer number of animals being removed from the home, and claimed they had no idea that such incredible hoarding was going on. Neighbors that were interviewed said that Berkshire sometimes spoke of taking care of stray cats until a good home could be found, and said that they believe she had no idea that she was doing anything wrong. The cats have been taken to Lee County Domestic Animal Services, which is now becoming overcrowded itself with workers scrambling to find room and medical treatment for the additional animals.
When interviewed, Berkshire said that she began rescuing cats ten years ago, and over the last five years things got out of hand. She is very upset that her cats have been taken away; Berkshire says that she wanted help caring for the excessive number of cats but this is not what she had in mind. While no charges have been filed at this time, Berkshire has been given a few weeks to clean the home. If the house has not been made livable by the deadline, she may be fined up to $250 a day for the condition of the home.