The SPCA Serving Erie County already has a few of the cats taken in a raid in West Seneca earlier this week up for adoption, but the remaining animals are in need of time, attention and medical care.
"We found some of them to be healthy enough to go right up for adoption," says SPCA Director of Public Relations Gina Browning. "They are starting to relax so some of them are becoming much more social. We've got several of them in some kind of need of veterinary care."
More than 50 cats were found during the raid at "Bob the Cat Rescue."
Animal hoarding is a "mental illness, it's an addiction," according to Browning. "Thanks to the newer research coming out, we are learning how to better handle cases like this."
"Fifteen years ago, we had so-called hoarders, fitting a particular profile. People would call them 'crazy cat ladies.' It was most likely a female, age 55 or older, unemployed, not a lot of family around. It wasn't treated as a mental illness," says Browning. "Now there is so much more research concerning this condition."
Browning says a case like this puts a strain on the SPCA both financially and with other resources. She notes the SPCA is funded by donations and does not receive any funding from the county.
Bob the Cat Rescue is located on Creekview Drive in West Seneca. At last word, charges were pending against the owner of the facility.
