A 62-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of animal abuse after keeping 23 cats in unsanitary conditions at her apartment in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
According to police, a complaint was filed by a neighbor against Taeko Horiguchi in December over the unsanitary conditions of her residence in Asao Ward, Fuji TV reported. Health authorities found the cats living in squalor and one dead in a cage.
Following the removal of the cats, an animal shelter official stated, “Some of the cats were thin, while others had diarrhea. Their fur also smelled of urine and feces.”
A cleaning company employee recalls, “The entire household was full of feces. There were a lot of flies and insects flying around, and the smell was simply horrendous.” Other neighbors complained about the stench coming from Horiguchi’s home.
On Jan 9, Horiguchi was arrested after breaking into the shelter by shattering a window to regain custody of the felines.
Police said Horiguchi has vehemently denied the allegations of animal abuse.
© Japan Today
8 Comments
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Maria
Well, those poor cats will soon be gassed, if not already dead, unless an animal rescue/welfare group steps forward to help them. The woman undoubtedly had their interests at heart, but simply couldn't manage, got overwhelmed, and messed up.
serendipitous1
Maria
'Had their interests at heart?'
Somehow, I don't think so.
DaDude
23 cats is more than enough to open a cat cafe.
AgentX
One word comes to mind regarding this woman...
anamericaninjapan
I'm sure she cared for the cats; didn't want them to go to the pound and gassed but as Maria said, couldn't manage them...
Steven Fennel
I think in her own way she thought she was caring for the cats, and tried desperately to get them back going so far as to break into a shelter. So she probably genuinely wanted to care for them but was extremely misguided in her attempts. In that way I feel sorry for her.
anyway, give her a few years in the slammer to let her think about it
AgentX
If she is locking them in a cage until death, how is that caring for them? She is only 62, it's not like she is too aged to even get up and clean around a little, and maybe put some food out for them. Unless she is severely mentally handicapped, I see no reason why the full force of the law should not be thrown at her!
As someone who spends a large part of my free time and money caring for, neutering and supporting homeless cats in Japan, the cruelty that cats often have to face here (due to shameless people) angers me greatly.
Goodlucktoyou
Saw kittens for sale at Aeon mall for ¥560000 on Saturday.