NEWTON — A Maine coon cat breeder faces several animal cruelty charges after officials seized more than 60 cats from her Dugway Road home.
Police said Suzanne James, 47, is responsible for one of the largest cases of animal hoarding they've ever seen. Officials spent three hours removing 66 cats, three rabbits, two guinea hens and a German shepherd from her ranch home Wednesday night. The animals are being treated at the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals office in Stratham.
Newton Animal Control Officer Kim Mears said most of the cats were kept in crates in rooms throughout the house. She said they were obviously being neglected and many of them have upper respiratory infections because conditions were not hygienic.
"As far as the conditions (of the home), they were pretty filthy," Mears said. "There was a lot of fecal matter and the ammonia smell was overwhelming."
The stench of ammonia came from cat urine in litter boxes that weren't changed, Mears said. The ammonia level was so high that it could have caused brain damage to humans or animals that were in the house for more than eight hours at a time, according to data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Police Chief Larry Streeter said James will be charged with several counts of animal cruelty. He said police were notified that James' home was unfit for living by the state Department of Health and Human Services, which received a tip from someone who knew James.
Mears was assisted in rescuing the animals by local police, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Officer Stephen Sprowl, Newton Health Officer Bob Leverone and rescue volunteers from the NHSPCA.
Officials said they hadn't heard many complaints about James in years past, but they did know she was a Maine coon cat breeder.
"The only thing I had was well over a year ago, when someone said she didn't send the certification papers for a cat she sold," Mears said. "But she took care of it. ... I knew that she bred cats, but we hadn't been in the house."
When town officials first went in the house, they found more crates filled with cats than they anticipated.
"I thought originally there was only 42 and I missed a couple rooms," Mears said. "The basement area was divided into three and a half rooms with more (cats) — and that's where the levels of ammonia were the worst. It was so strong it would burn your eyes and throat."
Mears said the law does not establish a set number of pets that can live in one home.
"Sixty-six is definitely too many," she said. "In general, it's as many as you can take care of, provide for in a clean environment. Obviously, when you're overwhelmed and you have cats in every room in your home — in the rafters — it's just out of hand."
Mears said many of the cats being treated in Stratham have upper respiratory infections, but are expected to live. Only one of the cats was euthanized because of a severe ear abscess that was infected. She said most cats will be up for adoption after they receive vaccinations and are treated for their illnesses.
James lives at home with an adult daughter, who police said will not face animal cruelty charges. Streeter said James will likely be charged by the end of the week and arraigned in Plaistow District Court. Town officials also said James owes more than $100 for failure to register and vaccinate her dogs during the past two years.
