Two siblings are facing animal cruelty charges after deputies said they found more than 40 cats in their Citrus County home.
Diane Lee Dennis, 55, and Wayne Allan Dennis, 50, both of Hernando, were arrested Wednesday. Each is facing six counts of animal cruelty.
According to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to their home on North Redwood Lane to investigate a call about animal cruelty. When they made contact with the siblings, they noticed they had a large amount of feces on their shoes, and that a strong odor of cat feces and urine wafted through the door when they opened it.
Investigators asked how many animals were in the house, and Diane Dennis told her there were 43 cats in the house. Dennis said none of the cats had been vaccinated for rabies or had received regular veterinary care in the three months they had lived in Hernando, deputies said.
The siblings had moved to Hernando from Marion County in July. Diane Dennis said she thought they only had 20 cats, but when they moved, she realized they had more than 40.
Before animal control officers could go into the house, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office hazmat team was called to the scene. The hazmat team put on protective clothing and then went into the house to test the levels of ammonia for safety.
Deputies said the hazmat team put several fans in front of windows in an attempt to air it out, and then concluded that the house was safe to enter.
Officials said cat feces covered much of the carpet, and was nearly six inches deep in the bathtub. (Citrus County Sheriff's Office)
The deputy and animal control officers then put on protective gear and went into the house.
“The odor of urine and feces in the residence was so strong it made it difficult to breath,” wrote the responding deputy.
The report said the house had little furniture, and that instead there were several cardboard boxes stacked around the house. Investigators said they found a lot of cat feces on the carpet, as well as in several of the boxes.
“I began to feel dizzy and sick to my stomach and exited the residence through the front door,” the responding deputy wrote.
Investigators started collecting the cats from the house to take them into custody. While they were doing so, they found a cat that had died under a cabinet. Diane Dennis said she didn’t know when the cat had died, or which cat it was.
A few minutes later, investigators found a second cat that had died, this one on Diane Dennis’ bed, officials said.
Officials said six of the cats that had been seized were in immediate need of veterinary care and were sent to an animal hospital in Beverly Hills.
The Dennises were taken into custody and transported to the Citrus County Detention Center.