Florida cats one step closer to their forever homes!

Submitted by RedRover Responders volunteer Beth Gammie of Tallahassee, Florida

The nearly 700 cats seized from a failed cat sanctuary in Florida are one step closer to their forever homes. On August 2, the couple that ran the sanctuary surrendered ownership of the rescued animals to Alachua County Animal Services, the agency that began the investigation into the cats’ welfare.


Jessica Lauginiger, the lead investigator for Alachua County Animal Services on this case, said the surrender means the cats can be spayed and neutered, undergo other needed surgeries, and be readied for adoption.  She added, “I’d love to see them all go to fabulous homes. That’s probably when I’m gonna break down and cry.”

An adopt-a-thon will be held in Gainesville on August 26, 27 and 28 to help place these cats into loving homes. Any cats not adopted at this event will be placed with reputable rescue groups throughout the country for adoptions. Anyone interested in finding out more details regarding adoptions may email Jessica Lauginiger at: jlauginiger@alachuacounty.us. Read about the adopt-a-thon in the Gainesville Sun.

The rescued cats have waited patiently since their rescue on June 7 and 8.  At that time, RedRover Responders volunteers set up an emergency shelter for the beleaguered cats, and provided care for the animals so neglected by humans. 



While the court case played out, the cats used the time to heal and recover. The difference between the cats now and in June is striking. Upper respiratory infections are gone. The cats’ eyes are clearer, and their breathing is normal. The shy ones have come out of their shells and the lively ones are livelier than ever. The kittens are now housed in a special room, dubbed “Romper Room,” and larger kennels were constructed for the 20 or so kittens so they could develop as normal, playful kittens.

Grandma

Some of the other cats in medical difficulty have also made great progress. Grandma is a case in point.  Estimated to be between 15and 18 years old, Grandma came in to the shelter weighing a mere four pounds. She had no teeth, and although she ate ravenously, Grandma did not gain weight. 

Dr. Patty Gordon treated Grandma, and eventually moved her to the All Cats Clinic in Gainesville for further testing and treatment. Dr. Gordon diagnosed Grandma as having hyperthyroid disease, which explained some of her low weight. Dr. Gordon and her staff have fallen for Grandma and she remarked, “She is so sweet.  She is very interactive and watches everything that is going on.” The TLC is paying off—Grandma is now weighing in at more than five pounds and is looking better than ever.

Possum and his adopter Dr. Cate McManus

Possum, the blind kitty who is positive for the feline leukemia virus, is getting downright rambunctious. He meows at passersby, plays with his next-door neighbor, and the infection in his eyes have cleared up. Best of all, Possum has his forever home already picked out!  University of Florida veterinarian Cate McManus fell for Possum when she was treating cats at the emergency shelter and decided to adopt him. “There’s something about him that grabs your heart,” Dr. McManus said. Now that ownership has been surrendered, Dr. McManus can take Possum home, have him examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist, and give him the life he deserves.

RedRover Responders volunteers were there at the beginning of this lengthy rescue, and got these cats off to a great start in their temporary home. Alachua County Animal Services could not have undertaken this case without the help of the RedRover Responders and other partnering agencies. Jessica, the lead investigator said, “You guys were fantastic.  You come from all over the country, on your own dime and vacations. I can’t say enough about that.” She smiled and said, “It makes me want to be a better person.”

On August 15, the owners of Haven Acres Cat Sanctuary were arrested on 47 counts of animal cruelty. Read more >>

Rescued cats perking up

Submitted by RedRover Responders volunteer Beth Gammie of Tallahassee, Florida

What is the sound of 700 cats purring?  We just might find out as the cats rescued from hoarding conditions perk up under the care of the UAN volunteers  (now known as the RedRover Responders). The effect of a full week of regular care--feeding, watering, clean quarters, medical treatment--shows. 

A kitten imitates King Kong

Volunteers notice the cats' appetites increased, they are more physically active and have brighter eyes. The cats are simply cleaner as they have the energy now to clean up and stay clean. As the cats recover from upper respiratory infections, and as their tiny lungs recover from years of breathing the toxic air in their former home, they are breathing easier. For some, the turnaround is remarkable, as if a switch was turned on. This makes kennel-cleaning an athletic event for volunteers who need to be on their toes to head off energetic escape attempts. 

Singer likes to serenade the volunteers

The healthier cats are beginning to act like, well, cats. Today a kitten climbed up the wire kennel wall and hung there like King Kong on the side of the Empire State Building. Singer, a very vocal kitty, serenades any person who ventures into his area of the shelter. Cats snooze in hammocks made by volunteers, while others curl up with their kennel mate. 

However, for many other cats, the road to recovery is longer. Years of untreated infection, illness and injury have caused serious medical problems. Laura Anderson, DVM, from the University of Florida's shelter medicine program said, "I'm surprised by how many ruptured eyeballs I'm seeing due to lack of treatment" for eye infections.  

Possum is blind due to an
untreated eye infection

Possum, a volunteer favorite, is one of these cats who is blind due to an untreated eye infection. His equanimity and affectionate nature have made this guy a favorite with volunteers and vets alike.

Possum illustrates the danger for hoarded animals. Once an animal becomes sick or injured in this environment of neglect, he or she is out of luck. There will be no trips to the vet, no medicine, no treatment. There is no good end for a sick animal in this environment: terminal diseases lead to drawn-out suffering, and treatable conditions morph into terminal ones. 

The massive effort underway to care for all the rescued cats and kittens is paying off--many are perking up, showing more energy, and coming back to life. Every volunteer is grateful that Alachua County Animal Services took action to investigate this case, reaching out, and giving the RedRover Responders a chance to give all these cats the love and care they deserve.

Rescued cats showing their friendliness

Submitted by UAN volunteer Beth Gammie of Tallahassee, Florida

Wendy Leonard of Elko, Georgia gets to
know one of the rescued cats

As the 700 cats and kittens settled in to their new home at UAN's emergency shelter, staff and volunteers were surprised at their friendliness and sociability. Wendy, a volunteer from Georgia, said the first thing she noticed about the cats was that "they all came to the front of the cage, talking, which was a good sign.  I think they're starving for attention." 

Is it dinner time yet?

The cats' warm demeanor shone through their sick and neglected condition. Janell Matthies, UAN's Emergency Services Manager, said "It's always heartbreaking to see sick animals. This case is extraordinary in the sheer number of animals, the extent of their illnesses, but most of all their friendliness and affectionate natures even when so ill."

A cat with hair loss

The rescued cats suffered from the types of illnesses one would expect in crowded and filthy hoarding conditions: upper respiratory infections, feline leukemia, skin disease such as lesions and ringworm, and intestinal problems. Some cats had anemia from the sheer number of fleas on them living off their blood.  Unusual in this case is a number of cats carrying themselves with their heads tilted to the side. Dr. Laura Andersen, one of vets assisting in medical care, said this could be caused by the chronic sinus congestion impinging on the cat's facial nerves.

A rescued cat asks for attention

Alachua County Animal Services asked The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to help with animal handling, transportation, temporary sheltering and, if necessary, permanent placement of the cats. The HSUS in turned asked UAN to help set up and operate the temporary shelter. Animal Services personnel expressed their thanks for UAN's help in dealing with this massive rescue, which would swamp any county's capacity to handle.

Laina, one of the animal services workers said, "We couldn't have done it without you.  You guys do a great job." Her colleague, Darla, heard this and added, "You kept the ship afloat."  Chris, one of the Animal Services investigators was impressed with UAN's emergency shelter and said, "It's a million times better than what [the cats] had" to live in before.

Welcoming 700 rescued cats to a better life

Submitted by UAN volunteer Beth Gammie of Tallahassee, Florida

UAN volunteer Angel Zebraski of
Hampton, Georgia carries a rescued
cat into the emergency shelter

For two days, trucks arrived at UAN's emergency shelter carrying precious cargo--700 neglected cats rescued from deplorable hoarding conditions in High Springs, Florida. Time after time, UAN volunteers lined up to meet the transports and gently carried the cats to the clean, new kennels that awaited. 

Many of the cats walked gingerly out of their carriers into the kennels. Others showed their apprehension--natural at this stage in the rescue--by hunkering down in the carrier and refusing to come out. In these cases, volunteers put the entire carrier into the kennel to let the frightened cat come out at his or her own pace. Even cats who walked right into their kennels hunkered down in corners and litter boxes. However, a good number began reaching out (literally and figuratively) to volunteers and seeking attention.

Many cats had runny eyes and noses

The neglect these cats experienced quickly became evident. Many of the cats were simply filthy. The despair of trying to live in dirty and overcrowded conditions showed. Matted fur and crusty eyes and noses abounded.  Volunteers heard the wheezy breathing of cats suffering from upper respiratory infections and saw the fur loss and other skin conditions. 

Relaxing comfortably in safe and
clean surroundings

After having a chance to look around their new homes, the more talkative kitties had quite a lot to tell the us.  To the uninitiated, it sounded like, "Mew, meow, meow, mew." 

However, UAN volunteers are fluent in "cat" and heard them express their gratitude for shelter from the elements, a clean kennel, abundant food and clean water.  

One of the tiniest cats rescued

One calico asked, "What's up with that cold air blowing down from the ceiling," clearly unfamiliar with air conditioning. But mainly they expressed gratitude for humans who cared enough about them to travel from all over the United States and Canada to come to their rescue. "Mew," indeed.

Emergency sheltering by the numbers

PetSmart Charities Emergency Relief Waggin'
provided litter boxes and other
supplies for the Florida cat rescue

When does 400 really equal 700? When you are rescuing animals from a hoarding a situation. UAN deployed volunteers to Gainesville, Florida, this week expecting to run a shelter for about 400 cats, but nearly 700 cats were removed from Haven Acres Cat Sanctuary in High Springs on June 7.

As usual, the UAN volunteers quickly adjusted to accommodate the unexpected charges, building more kennels and working double time to get the cats checked by vets and settled into their new quarters.

This kind of numbers game is common in hoarding and puppy mills seizures, when it is often hard for law enforcement officials to get an accurate animal count until they serve a warrant.

But while the volunteers will have to work a little harder to care for more animals, the good news is that 300 more animals will now have a second chance at a better life.

Emergency shelter in Florida ready for rescued cats

Submitted by UAN volunteer Beth Gammie of Tallahassee, Florida

Loading the truck for today's rescue

UAN volunteers traveled to Gainesville, Florida from Connecticut, Texas, Georgia, and throughout Florida to help rescue and care for cats removed from a hoarding situation today. Alachua County Animal Control officials asked UAN and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to help rescue and shelter an estimated 400 cats.

UAN volunteer Bob Dickson sets up cages

UAN volunteers worked throughout the day on Monday, June 6, to transform an empty warehouse into an emergency shelter in anticipation of the cat rescue. Volunteers set up well over 200 kennels -- unloading them from the PetSmart Charities truck, putting them together, stacking and arranging them into a workable shelter, and ensuring each kennel was secure. Janell Matthies, UAN Emergency Services Manager, estimated that the shelter could accommodate 550 cats.

UAN volunteer Leslee Weiss
prepares litter trays

Janell briefed the UAN volunteers in the afternoon, stating that because of unknowns, "flexibility is key." We're ready to construct more kennels if needed, create "maternity wards" for kittens, and do whatever is needed to provide for every cat and kitten that comes into our care.

Creative use of duct tape, and how we
hope the cats feel after being rescued

A strong Florida thunderstorm hit Gainesville mid-afternoon, dumping three inches of rain in a couple of hours. We paused for a moment to watch the lightning strikes and the torrential rainfall. We worried about the hoarded cats--living outdoors, without shelter or protection from the pounding rain--and then continued our work to make a comfortable and safe home for them. It felt good knowing they would have shelter, nutritious food, loving attention and medical care within 24 hours.

UAN volunteers went to sleep last night knowing that better lives for these cats would begin today.

Read more about this response on UAN's press release.