More than two dozen cats and kittens have been rescued from deplorable conditions inside an abandoned Pocahontas County, Iowa residence. And thanks to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, these felines will now get their chance at happy lives.
When authorities discovered the thirty felines abandoned by their owner and trapped inside the dwelling, they contacted the Animal Rescue League for assistance. After traveling two hours, the ARL’s Mobile Rescue Team arrived on the scene and found cats and kittens of all ages living in pure filth. The team worked for hours to rescue these poor kitties.
Left Behind, Trapped in Filth and Trash
Upon entering the home, the team was swamped by the stench of cat urine and, as the ARL explained on Facebook, “These cats needed help, and they needed it now.”
“The cats and young kittens had been left by their owner — shut in a hot, filthy house, without any food or water,” said the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.
The conditions inside the home were severe as “temps had been in the upper 80s and 90s, the house had no electricity, and very little light was coming in.”
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Armed with flashlights, steel constitutions, and compassion, the rescue team waded through “feces, urine, and trash” at every turn.
“In one closet area, a layer of feces nearly an inch thick covered the floor.”
The team loaded cats and kittens into carriers for hours, rescuing one feline at a time, “including some who were hiding inside a mattress.”
“They didn’t know we were there to save them. They didn’t know their lives were about to change forever.”
Arriving to Cleanliness and Care
When the cats arrived at the ARL’s main facility in Des Moines, the Emergency Care Team went to work, figuring out how best to get everyone treated, fed, and comfortable.
“Many of the cats and kittens are thin, with ear mites, ear infections, fleas, and skin infections. Two mama cats were nursing litters of kittens only a couple of weeks old,” the ARL reported. “There is no way they would have survived much longer in that heat and in that filth, without any food or water.”
An investigation into this terrible act of cruelty is currently ongoing.
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Visit the Animal Rescue League of Iowa’s donation page to find out how you can help these thirty cats and kittens find their way to forever.
Feature Image: Animal Rescue League of Iowa/Facebook
