A hoarding crisis in Pontiac resulted in 36 animals being removed as Oakland County authorities and animal control dealt with a disturbing scene this past Friday. In a joint effort, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office and the Oakland County Animal Control evacuated 29 dogs and seven cats from a property on the 100 block of Argyle Avenue, as CBS News officially reported.
The situation came to light when a court order was issued, allowing entry into the home of a 47-year-old woman, who authorities say had been hoarding the animals. Oakland County Sheriff's deputies were on-site to assist with the process. Now, the homeowner is not only faced with the possible condemnation of her property by the Pontiac Building Department but also potential animal neglect charges. A previous ordinance violation for keeping too many animals had been charged to the homeowner approximately a year ago.
Bob Gatt, the county animal shelter manager, shed light on the grim conditions within the home during an interview. "This home was so bad that they were living in a fecal-infested home on the floors and everywhere they were at," Gatt stated, as reported by Audacy. He also highlighted the animals' poor health and social state, mentioning that almost every animal is infested with fleas, and they are showing signs of not a whole lot of human interaction.
According to Gatt, one cat is very sick and might need to be euthanized. The other animals are being cared for at the county's animal control facilities and are receiving evaluations and treatments after being in poor conditions.
