30 cats seized from ‘horrific’ Spokane Valley home

Thirty cats were removed today from a Spokane Valley home where conditions are so bad officers wore protective suits and respirators. Spokane County Regional Animal Protective Service employees are to watch the home at 4616 N. Larch Road overnight and continue searching for more felines Thursday, said director Nancy Hill. The agency obtained a search warrant after an employee, acting on a tip, stopped by the home Tuesday and looked in the window. Hill described the home as “horrific.” “You can’t even hardly walk in there because of all the garbage and feces,” she said. “The air is just permeated with the smell of the cat urine and feces. It’s grim.” The cats, described by Hill as thin but not obviously diseased, were taken to SCRAPS. No one has been seen at the home, and Hill said neighbors don’t believe the owners live there full time. “Honestly, I don’t know how any one could be living here,” Hill said. Twenty-two cats were removed by hand; animal protection officers used boxes baited with food to capture eight morel Hill said. “I’m hoping there’s no more than 10 left, but ti’s just so hard to say,” she said. The home is owned by Danny R. and Julianna O. Bauer, according to Spokane County property records.