Harrison County Animal Control in Corydon, Indiana is inviting the public to provide homes for several cats who are finally available for adoption after spending two years caged at the shelter in legal limbo following their seizure from a couple operating a rescue from their home.
After their long wait before going up for adoption, the cats do not have long to find their homes. According to Harrison County Animal Control Officer Bruce LaHue. “If they’re not adopted within the next few weeks, they could potentially face euthanasia.”
The couple who previously had the cats, along with some dogs and chickens, were convicted of animal abuse for keeping the creatures in deplorable conditions. Samantha Lee and her husband Randall were sentenced on Thursday. Samantha was sentenced to six months in prison to be followed by 3 1/2 years on probation. Randall was given 30 months on probation.
The animals were held for the past two years because the Lees filed a civil suit against Harrison County Animal Control. The couple’s onviction and sentencing has freed the animals.
Thirty-six cats, three dogs and four chickens were seized from the Lees filthy home, and the county has spent over $30,000 on their care. Despite efforts to restore all of the animals back to health, six of the cats died. One chicken died from old age.
Five cats were returned to their original owners, leaving a remaining thirty-one animals sitting caged at the Harrison County Animal Shelter.
The shelter’s usual adoption fee will be waived in favor of a donation of four canned goods items, which the shelter will donate to charity.
The Lees have taken in another twenty animals since they were charged. They need to place the animals now, and are only allowed two animals for the next four years.
“They’ve had people come forward that are already willing to take them and they have until midnight tonight to have that accomplished,” said prosecutor Otto Schalk.
Schalk says animal abuse is a problem in Harrison County and hopes the Lee case and sentencing will cause other to stop and think before causing harm or neglect to their pets. sentence will prevent others from harming their pets.
The shelter says there has been interest in some of the cats, and one adoption is said to be pending so far.
Several of the cats have socialization issues, and will need adopters who are respectful of that and can work patiently with them to help them overcome the issues or at least adapt to life in their new homes.
Shelter staff are posting details for each cat as they upload photos of them to Facebook. We include photos of several cats here, with links back to the original photos and descriptions.
For a video news report on this story from WLKY, click HERE.
Anyone interested in adopting one of the animals can call the shelter at 812-738-8163.
1 thought on “Seized Cats Looking for Homes After Being Held 2 Years at Shelter”
I heard via the grapevine this weekend that all the Lee cats were adopted out. This was from someone that went and got a couple of the kitties after most were gone. Awesome news for those babies!
I heard via the grapevine this weekend that all the Lee cats were adopted out. This was from someone that went and got a couple of the kitties after most were gone. Awesome news for those babies!