A Florida woman is facing more than 30 charges after authorities found 28 live animals and five dead cats in her Lakeland home.
A Florida woman is facing more than 30 charges after authorities found 28 live animals and five dead cats in her Lakeland home.
According to NBC6 affiliate WFLA, who first reported this story, Polk County deputies arrested Catherine Briley after they found five dead cats inside a room which was closed off with no food or water as well as 27 cats and one dog who could not walk.
Briley's neighbor, Elizabeth Trinidad, told WFLA her family could not stand being outside their house because of the smell.
"I don't understand why people living when the animals die in the house," Trinidad said.
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Photos from inside Briley's home showed an immense amount of clutter with litter boxes on top of a bed and hardly any room to walk.
"Just was a horrible mess and it was affecting the environment, affecting the neighbors," said Carrie Horstman with the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
According to WFLA, deputies took Briley into custody on charges involving animal cruelty and operating an unpermitted landfill.
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She is facing 30 first-degree misdemeanors, one second-degree misdemeanors and five third-degree felonies.
A judge reportedly set bond at more than $55,000 and now Polk County Animal Control has to take care of an influx of sick animals.
WFLA reports that this is the third animal hoarding case since December 2023.
"Not only are they in poor shape physically because they have respiratory distress, they all have to be neutered and spayed," said Horstman. "They all have to have their shots so that takes several months."
