63 cats taken from Marion County home

[FORT KNOX]

63 cats taken from Marion County home
Last Updated: Thursday, September 02, 2010 3:36 PM





MARION COUNTY -- Sixty-three cats and other animals have been removed from a Marion County home.

Marion County Animal Services say they removed the cats, along with an Amazon bird and a Golden Retriever dog that were living in poor conditions from a home on Thoroughbred Acres, Thursday.

The owner, 54-year-old Merry Wichman, bred and sold cats on the website, Angel Babies Maine Coon Cat.

Animal services say many of the animals were housed in 5-by-4 foot chain link cages with nine to 17 cats inside each one.

Marion County Fire Rescue’s HazMat team tested the air quality inside the home and determined it unsafe to enter without a respirator. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office removed Wichman from her property via the Baker Act and into protective custody for a mental evaluation.

According to Dr. David Jebens, DVM, Animal Services’ staff veterinarian, the cats’ conditions range from emaciated to fair/good. Many of the cats have respiratory issues, most likely from living in filthy conditions with poor air quality. Some of the cats are extremely thin and most have matted fur, flea infestation, skin problems and extremely foul odor due to living in their own waste.

The animals are now housed at the Marion County Animal Center, where staff is providing medical and nutritional care. Animal Services staff plans to file a petition for custody within 10 days as well as seek cruelty charges against the animal owner through the State Attorney’s Office.

cfnews13.com

[mcguy]

This is apparently in central Florida. (I know a number of states have a Marion county.)

[debbie560]

63 cats taken from Marion County home
Last Updated: Thursday, September 02, 2010 3:36 PM





MARION COUNTY -- Sixty-three cats and other animals have been removed from a Marion County home.

Marion County Animal Services say they removed the cats, along with an Amazon bird and a Golden Retriever dog that were living in poor conditions from a home on Thoroughbred Acres, Thursday.

The owner, 54-year-old Merry Wichman, bred and sold cats on the website, Angel Babies Maine Coon Cat.

Animal services say many of the animals were housed in 5-by-4 foot chain link cages with nine to 17 cats inside each one.

Marion County Fire Rescue’s HazMat team tested the air quality inside the home and determined it unsafe to enter without a respirator. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office removed Wichman from her property via the Baker Act and into protective custody for a mental evaluation.

According to Dr. David Jebens, DVM, Animal Services’ staff veterinarian, the cats’ conditions range from emaciated to fair/good. Many of the cats have respiratory issues, most likely from living in filthy conditions with poor air quality. Some of the cats are extremely thin and most have matted fur, flea infestation, skin problems and extremely foul odor due to living in their own waste.

The animals are now housed at the Marion County Animal Center, where staff is providing medical and nutritional care. Animal Services staff plans to file a petition for custody within 10 days as well as seek cruelty charges against the animal owner through the State Attorney’s Office.

cfnews13.com

Them poor, poor babies, I have just now taken a look also at the website it just shows you how... websites can deceive you....


Mind if you look closely on the kitten page... you can see the filth in the photos... At least now they will have quality of life... out of that disgusting place.

[Louie-Louie]

OMG Poor poor babys

[Antonia]

This brought the tears to my eyes... so horrible!

[jckkerrison]

I agree,makes you want to weep,I do hope they all get the good homes they deserve....

[Tivicoons]

Thats horrible, poor cats, its amazing the girls managed to keep their kitties alive in those conditions. I've only got seven cats (and five kittens) and it takes me an hour every day to 'muck out' with follow on scoopings and play times of course, so how anyone could contemplate keeping that huge amount of cats is beyond me.

[candes]

[mcguy]

I had forwarded this to our breeder who is now VP of MCBFA. She reports that the story was posted on a maillist that she gets, and that she believes that Maine Coon Rescue will get involved: Maine Coon Rescue

[Louie-Louie]

I had forwarded this to our breeder who is now VP of MCBFA. She reports that the story was posted on a maillist that she gets, and that she believes that Maine Coon Rescue will get involved: Maine Coon Rescue

I hope so & they all get wonderful homes we are on the mailing list here & had quite a few emails of MC's needing homes but so far they have all been for homes without dogs but Im sure there will be a homeless MC who whould like to come & live with us, Louie, the fussy pensioners & the spots