Idaho Humane Society Rescued 77 Cats from a Hoarder
Twenty cats were found crammed into the bathroom of a Treasure Valley motel room in July, and seventy-seven were rescued in all. Charges are pending against the woman accused of hoarding, and the cats are being nursed back to health and are almost ready for adoption.
The cats were discovered back in July at a Super 8 motel room off Vista Avenue in Boise, and it took two days to rescue all of them. Twenty cats were being held in the bathroom alone, and others were climbing around in other parts of the room and rescued from a nearby trailer. They weren't in great shape.
Boise Weekly reported Heather Hawking described herself as a breeder, and she resisted turning over custody rights of the seized animals, so the Idaho Humane Society had to fight through court to get them. A judge granted full custody to the Humane Society earlier this month, and while the cats and kittens are finally getting the care they need, Hawking is waiting to face charges that could lead to fines and/or jail time.
The Humane Society has spent $30,000 on medical care for the cats so far, and Hawking could be ordered to repay that amount. But for now, the Humane Society is on the hook for the cost of feeding the cats and nursing them back to health.
Some of the cats are with the rescue group Simply Cats, and some have been transferred to Fuzzy Pawz Rescue. The mothers with kittens will stay in foster care until the kittens are old enough to be spayed or neutered and then they'll be put up for adoption. The other cats are getting ready for adoption now and will be ready much sooner.
The Idaho Humane Society will post the pictures of the cats in the Adoptable Pets section as soon as they are ready for a new home, and until then we can support the shelter with donations of money, pet food, and time as volunteers.
What would we do without pet rescue groups? I mean really! These pets have many great volunteers to thank, and soon they might be thanking you for giving them a cozy spot on the couch next to you and a soft place to sleep instead of a toilet lid. It may turn out okay after all.