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70 Year Old Philadelphia Cat Hoarder Found Unconscious

January 3, 2018 By Avery Associates

Animal Hoarding

A 70-year-old man from Philadelphia was found unconscious at his home surrounded by dead cats, excrement and waste.

Authorities have said the conditions inside the house in the northeast of the city were astounding and nauseating, with the overwhelming stench of rotting animals festering in the sweltering heat.

The smell was made worse by the lack of air conditioning in 90-degree temperatures.
Astounding conditions: Hazmat suits had to be worn by personnel who entered the home as they set about retrieving any living animals that might be present

Cat Hoarding

Rescuing Cats

Saved

Dozens of dead cats were found inside in various states of decomposition but at least five were rescued alive

Condemned

The house has now been deemed to be ‘unfit’ for human habitation

‘He is alive, but when they walked into the house, it turned out to be a house of horrors,’ said George Bengal, PSPCA’s director of law enforcement to the Daily News.

After getting a search warrant, crews wearing full body hazmat suits including breathing apparatus entered the home.
‘It’s a hoarder house, a huge mess. Huge mess. Dead animals, live animals. Really bad.’

‘I have never seen a house in my life like this inside. The infestation of parasites in this property and just the overwhelming amount of feces that’s in this property… it’s incredible,’ said Mr Bengal.

Overgrown

The house had been occupied for the past 20 years but had been left to fall to rack and ruin

The man had lived in the house, on Bickley Street in Bustleton, Northeast Philadelphia, for the past two decades.

The place had become overgrown with trees on the outside and full of garbage on the inside.

It did not have air conditioning and was filled from the floor to the ceiling, with trash and animal waste.

The home was also infested with parasites and vermin. In addition, the roof was caving in and the basement was flooded.

Mr Bengal said that his staff estimated there could be dozens of cats inside.

Deplorable

Another of the cats rescued from the nauseating conditions found inside the home. The 70-year-old man will face charges of animal cruelty
Stench: The man was found surrounded by dead cats, excrement and waste everywhere in 90-degree temperatures

According to the SPCA, there were five living cats, at least three dead cats, buckets of feces, rats and even live bats inside the house.

There were also piles of trash, crumbling drywall and collapsing ceiling titles that made cleanup difficult on the crews and gave cats plenty of potential places to hide.

At least five dead cats, in various states of decomposition, were removed before authorities suspended the rescue operation last night.

Mr Bengal said the flea infestation in the home is one of the worst he has ever seen.

Filth

Hazmat workers were on scene for several hours and the cleanup will recommence this afternoon

The homeowner, who was not identified, was discovered by family members who then called the emergency services. The man was taken to Nazareth Hospital.

The SPCA will return today to continue to search for the remaining living animals.

Mr Bengal said the presence of bats is a clue that this level of hoarding has been going on for years. The SPCA plans on charging the homeowner with animal cruelty.

A sign has been posted on the door of the home saying it has been deemed unfit for habitation.

Related

Filed Under: Compulsive Hoarding Tagged With: bustleton, cat hoarding, dead cats, george bengal, hazmat workers

Our House Clearance Services

We provide a full house clearance and property management solution:

  • We clear hoarded houses, regardless how big or how cluttered
  • We clear all types and sizes of property, irrespective of location, or access is restricted or where parking is difficult or not available.
  • We can help avoid water damage by draining the central heating system.
  • We can secure the property and change the locks.
  • We can reinstate the gardens and maintain them whilst the property is empty.
  • We can provide 24 hour security to eliminate the risk of squatting or unlawful occupation.

As well normal house clearances we specialise in clutter clearance and we can clear a hoarded house which may contain years of accumulated possessions, or which have abnormal amounts of general household items, sometimes as a result of compulsive hoarding syndrome.

Equally we can help to clear a property where the occupants were previously unwell and unable to care for themselves or their property which sometimes results in insanitary, dangerous or just plain unpleasant conditions.

More info

What We Do

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Client Reviews

Margaret Campbell
Jun 24, 2022
 by Margaret Campbell on Avery Associates
Amazing Service and Support

Hello Pam / Jeffrey, As requested, sorry it is late …. I forgot☹️ I used Avery Associates for probate content valuation, clearance... Read More

Susan Arm******
Jun 2, 2022
 by Susan Arm****** on Avery Associates
Respectful Probate Valuation

Mr Avery did a wonderful job assessing the household contents for probate and I very much appreciate his respectful approach while valuing the items at... Read More

Your very welcome Susan

Patrick Macavoy
May 20, 2022
 by Patrick Macavoy on Avery Associates
A Seamless Experience

I had my late mother's flat to clear out. The contact with AA was a pleasure from day one, starting with the receptionist. Jeffrey then came out to look... Read More

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Avery Associates
291 Mitcham Rd
Tooting SW179JQ

Tel: 0800 567 7769 or 0208 640 0044

Services provided throughout London and the Home Counties. View our clearance case studies.


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