The St. Clair County Animal Control needs help from the public as they deal with an influx of recovered animals from two suspected animal hoarding cases in the past two weeks.
Concerned residents are asked to donate Clorox bleach, Dawn dish soap, cat litter, and towels. They can be dropped off between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the Animal Control office at 3378 Griswold Road.
The most recent case involved suspected cat hoarding at a home in Burtchville Township. Sixteen cats were taken from a residence by animal control after thirty-one cats had already been removed by private citizens. A recent seizure in Port Huron rescued nineteen cats and three dogs.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America describes animal hoarding as “the compulsive need to collect and own animals for the sake of caring for them that results in accidental or unintentional neglect or abuse”.
In both cases, the animals were discovered after citizen complaints that resulted in search warrants being issued. Upon searching the properties, officers found unsafe conditions for the animals and seized them for rehabilitation. The animals will need a few weeks to get healthy and will then be ready for rehoming.
Animal Control is also asking for financial donations to offset medical costs for the animals.
Financial donations can be made at paypal.me/sccanimals.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
