A real estate agent found two women, and their 63 cats and kittens, while checking on a property in Northwest D.C. on Tuesday night. The two women were staying in the house in the 800 block of Decatur Street Northwest illegally. The Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League was called to the house and recovered 44 of the cats and kittens. Lisa LaFontaine, president and CEO of WHS-WARL, described the condition of the house as “deplorable.” “This is an extreme case of hoarding and inhumane treatment of animals,” LaFontaine said in a statement. Scott Giacoppo, chief community animal welfare officer at WHS-WARL, says the two women left the property with 20 of the cats, although it’s not clear if they will be permitted to keep them. It is also unclear what charges the two women could face. “It would probably be a neglect case — we’re still looking into it; it’s an active case. We’re working with the owners and we’re evaluating the cats,” Giacoppo said.
