Detective Sgt. Brian Williams said police were first tipped off to problems at the home in December when a Portage woman told police her daughter became ill after the family adopted a cat from the home located on the 1800 block of Union Street.
Williams said police had no other previous complaints about the home, which was occupied only by a husband and wife. The city’s Animal Control officers received some anonymous tips over the years, he said.
Police executed a search warrant at the home around 1 p.m. Thursday as part of the investigation which was sparked by the Portage woman’s complaint.
“The cat urine and the ammonia level was just off the charts,” Williams said. “There were litter boxes overflowing, the baseboards were smeared with feces, feed bowls everywhere.”
One bedroom had 12 cats inside and a raccoon was running freely with over 20 cats in the basement.
Williams said Lake Station police and Humane Society of Hobart representatives spent more than three hours removing the animals from the home.
“It was non-stop between the house and the trucks,” he said.
Williams said animal neglect charges are definitely expected to be filed with the Lake County Prosecutor’s office next week.
All of the animals were alive when officers and Humane Society representatives arrived there, Williams said.
The Humane Society of Hobart is closed on Friday. Officials there could not be reached for comment on the health status of the animals which were removed from the home.
“Hopefully some of them can be saved,” Williams said.