20 cats found living in deplorable conditions in Phila. home

RHAWNHURST - November 14, 2012 (WPVI) -- SPCA officials have removed at least 20 cats from a home in the Rhawnhurst section of Philadelphia.

After receiving a whole lot of phone calls from aggravated neighbors, officers executed search warrants at the home in the 1900 block of Emerson Avenue as part of a hoarding investigation on Wednesday.

"It's exactly what we suspected, a typical hoarder house," SPCA Director of Humane Law Enforcement George Bengal said.

When animal control officers arrived at the home they found piles and piles of trash and filth filling the duplex which is occupied by one person.

The SPCA also found 20 cats and one dog so far living in these deplorable conditions.

"The house is pretty bad inside. The ammonia level in the property is just literally through the roof. You have wear hazmat and respiratory masks inside just to breathe," Bengal said.

The property has been the focus of an on-going month-long investigation with animal control officers executing the search warrant today.

Responding officers say conditions inside are so deplorable, it could take another day to determine if there are any dead animals buried under all that filth.

Officials from Philadelphia's Licenses and Inspections department are expected to condemn the property, the SPCA said.

Officers are looking for the suspected owner, a woman, for questioning. Her name has not been released.

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philadelphia, northeast philadelphia, animals, animal abuse, local/state

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