Florida police have arrested a woman on nearly 30 counts of animal cruelty following reports of animal neglect and hoarding.
On Wednesday, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office discovered the home of 66-year-old Catherine Briley in a state of disarray, with over 30 animals roaming freely. The home in Lakeland was found to have dangerously high levels of ammonia.
Wearing respirators, authorities entered the residence and found five dead cats, 27 living cats, and one dog. The deceased cats, located in a closet, were believed to have died from starvation, according to officials. “The home, both inside and out, is what I would describe as unlivable,” Sheriff Grady Judd stated.
Sheriff Judd expressed hope that the surviving animals would be rehabilitated and placed in loving homes, and that Briley would be barred from owning animals in the future. Briley was released from Polk County Jail on Sunday after posting bond.
Police reported that Briley’s home had toxic levels of ammonia and hydride, an industrial chemical, making the air unbreathable for the animals. Several litter boxes were overflowing, and the dog found at the scene was in particularly poor condition.
“The dog inside the house had difficulty walking or standing and had severely overgrown, curled toenails,” Sheriff Judd said. “It was missing significant patches of fur and appeared to be suffering from a skin condition.”
Briley had previous run-ins with local law enforcement, including arrests in 1998 and 2001 on battery charges, and more recently, she was charged last year with providing false information about a missing person and resisting arrest.
In addition to the animal neglect, police observed “thousands of swarming flies” and piles of garbage around the property. The affidavit also noted buckets and containers filled with dirty water and larvae.
Sheriff Judd pointed out that Briley’s case is the third instance since December where Polk County officials have found women hoarding animals to the extent that they suffer from neglect and illness.
