No citations for woman with 84 cats
Half of the cats were euthanized
MOSES LAKE - A Moses Lake woman who surrendered more than 80 animals to the Moses Lake/Grant County Animal Shelter will not be issued any citations for harboring the cats, dogs and rats.
The number of animals in a home and their conditions prompted questions from the public about whether there would be a citation for cruelty to animals or for violating a city ordinance limiting each household to three cats.
Moses Lake Police Department Capt. Dave Ruffin said no citations are being issued in this instance because the woman surrendered them to the animal shelter.
If the city became aware of the issue before she surrendered the animals, the city could have cited her for violating the ordinance, according to Moses Lake Code Enforcement officer Levi Bisnett.
"The property is now in compliance so we can't really do anything," said Bisnett. "The city usually issues a letter and gives them time to take care of it … but she was evicted and moved out."
Last week Grant County Animal Outreach and the Moses Lake Police Department removed 84 cats, five rats and four dogs from a Juniper Drive residence.
It remains unclear if any of the animals were returned to the woman. Phone calls to the animal shelter were not returned to the Columbia Basin Herald.
In a previous interview, shelter Manager Mary DeHerrera said the woman would not receive any animals without law enforcement advisement. She did not reveal the identity of the woman.
The woman allegedly surrendered the animals due to being evicted from her home, DeHerrera said. She tried to care for the animals but was unable to.
Last week 42 cats were euthanized due to extreme medical conditions including pneumonia and ring worm. The surviving cats are recovering from respiratory infections at the animal shelter and are in need of homes.
Initially the four dogs appeared healthy and DeHerrera indicated the five rats may have been euthanized due to tumors.
Animal shelter employees are continuing to remove an additional estimated 40 wild cats from the outside of the residence.