CUTLER BAY, Fla. – Miami-Dade Animal Services and Miami-Dade police seized a total of 93 cats at a home in Cutler Bay Thursday morning after the cats were found living in “deplorable” conditions, authorities said.
Local 10 News was at the scene where cats were being carried out of the 1300 square foot home near the 20500 block of Southwest 93rd Avenue in cages by authorities.
Neighbors told Local 10 News that they’ve been dealing with a cat stench from the home for years.
“I knew that they had cats but I thought they had like 4 or 5 cats, not 93!” said Monica Lore, who lives nearby. “It breaks my heart because I know they cannot be taken care of.”
Two women were sitting in a red SUV in the driveway of the home but declined to comment on the incident.
Lore says she was shocked when she saw the investigators from police and animal services but was even more stunned by the stench coming from the open door.
“It was absolutely horrible so I can’t imagine what the house smelled like,” she said.
Animal Services said all the cats were alive and safely recovered.
The cats ranged in age, from kittens to older ones, and they were removed as part of a Miami-Dade Animal Services animal cruelty investigation.
Authorities said the homeowners will not be criminally charged, but they are trying to get a court order to make sure they will not be able to house any animals moving forward.
“(The) felines will be examined by the Animal Services veterinary team, who will assess their health and provide needed medical care,” A statement from Miami-Dade County Animal Services said in part. “Once legal custody has been awarded to Animal Services and they are medically cleared, the (93) cats will be made available for adoption.”
Detectives told Local 10 News that the two women that live at the home are sisters.
The investigation is ongoing.