Volunteers with Harrisburg-based rescue Castaway Critters spent this week pulling eight cats out of a Glen Rock home the group has bluntly dubbed a "Hell House." The rescue says more than a dozen other cats may still be inside, and that more than ten animals have already died in the squalid conditions.
According to CBS Pittsburgh, Castaway Critters posted on Facebook that volunteers had to suit up in HAZMAT gear to get inside because the ammonia stench was overpowering. The post summed up the scene in two grim words and a bug parade, "Roaches. Bed bugs. Mice. Fleas. Ticks. Lice." and noted that a two‑day‑old kitten was the only survivor from her litter.
Per Castaway Critters, the volunteer-run nonprofit is a 501(c)(3) based in Harrisburg that serves multiple central Pennsylvania counties, including York. The group leans on a network of foster homes and donations to cover emergency medical care and short-term shelter for animals pulled from crisis situations like this one.
What Rescuers Found and the Health Risks
Responders reported hazardous, unsanitary conditions throughout the property and said they were literally digging through "feces, bugs and garbage" to reach trapped animals. The ASPCA notes that animal-hoarding cases often demand a coordinated response from animal-welfare, public-health and social-services agencies, and veterinary research has documented high rates of respiratory and enteric infections among cats removed from large-scale hoarding environments.
Next Steps and How to Help
Castaway Critters says it plans to keep going back to the Glen Rock house until every reachable animal is accounted for, and the group has appealed for donations to help cover mounting medical bills. As reported by CBS Pittsburgh, a Facebook fundraiser tied to the rescue effort had already topped $5,000. It is still unclear whether York County authorities will pursue criminal charges in the case.
If you have information about the Glen Rock property or want to get involved, Castaway Critters lists donation, foster and volunteer options. Otherwise, officials urge residents to report suspected animal hoarding or neglect to York County animal control or local law enforcement so investigators can step in safely and within the law.
