A local tip leads to a horrific discovery: 16 cats locked in a garage in some of the worst conditions in Geauga County.
 
“The cats would have died,” said Hope Brustein, director of the Geauga Humane Society’s Rescue Village. “I think we were convinced that, especially with the heat wave, and what that does to an enclosed space where there`s no air, that they were facing loss of life.”
 
The cats were neglected by their owners, not only left in the heat but also soiled in feces and waste, Brustein said. The owners willingly gave up the animals from their home late last month.
 
“Unbelievable filth. These cats were not getting new litter,” she said. “These cats were not in an area that was cleaned. We did have to deal with all kinds of parasites and ear mites and things of that nature. Luckily they did not end up having serious disease problems.”
 

Now, some of the cats are up for adoption. Nearly 1,800 are rescued by the humane society each year.
 
“At times, we can`t touch them at first. It takes a while for them to let us touch them. Those we can touch, we start with simple petting,” said cat volunteer Brenda Donahue. “It`s happy and sad. We`re happy that we`re helping them, but it`s sad that they`re in bad situations.”
 
The cats range from about one to four years old. While some of them still remain sick, Brustein is eager to find the furry felines new owners and a new life.
 
“We`re really, really happy, similar to the big shepherd rescue that people may have heard about, that we think we`re going to get happy endings and second changes for all these animals,” she said.
 
For more information about the cats and other animals at Geauga Humane Society’s Rescue Village, go to http://www.geaugahumane.org/

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