CNB Archives : Over a 100 Cats Removed from Gloucester City Home
Thursday, January 28, 2016
posted Thursday, August 15, 2011
cnbnews.net photo-There were a number of staff from the Animal Welfare Association (AWA) and the New Jersey SPCA police on hand to remove the cats that were placed inside pet carriers, packed inside of vans and sent temporary to local shelters.
original post: August 15 (19:45)
modified: August 18 (13:00)
(CNBNewsnet)UPDATE-Nancy Welsh, Gloucester City Animal Control Officer, explained on Wednesday, August 17, why no one in the press was contacted by the agencies involved with the removal of the 100 plus cats from a home on Railroad Avenue.
Welsh said, “Animal Planet produces a show about hoarding pets such as cats. They do it in a way to protect the privacy of the individual. When the show is finally televised it will be done as though this could have happened in ‘Any Where USA’. Gloucester City will not be mentioned. All the people that volunteered to help, and the agencies involved all signed papers that this would be kept private. “
Continuing she said, “The cats were taken to shelters in the state of New Jersey. Some rescue groups traveled two hours to get here. They will be put up for adoption. That is not say that someone from out of state can’t adopt one of the cats.
“The SPCA was not involved in the rescue of these animals, even though the truck in the photo had SPCA Police written on it. The truck was driven by people from the Humane Society who purchased the vehicle from the SPCA Police.”
For the record it was the Audubon animal rescue group Joa's ARC that contacted Animal Planet. That group also coordinated the rescue with the other organizations.
ORIGINAL POST: AUGUST 15 (19:45)
(CNBNewsnet)GLOUCESTER CITY NJ-Between 50 and 100 cats (above) were removed from a home in the unit block of Railroad Avenue today, Monday. The process was supervised by representatives from the television show Animal Planet with the help of the AWA and the New Jersey SPCA. According to neighbors in the area this was the third time that a number of cats have been removed from the home in the past month. They estimated the first two times over 50 cats if not more were taken away.
Gloucester City Housing Officer Joseph Stecklair said that the television show Animal Planet was alerted about the problem by the area Humane Society or AWA. He said the show was paying for the removal of the animals, along with paying for any repairs to the damage that was caused by the cats urine to the inside of the home. He added that the Gloucester City Municipal Court is involved in the matter. As for how he learned about the problem, “I was notified by a neighbor who complained of the terrible smell. This is the second time we have been at this home. The cats were in good condition. The smell from the cat urine inside the house was sickening.”
Because there is no room for the cats in the immediate area they are being shipped to animal shelters in other states. A representative from the Animal Planet TV show who was at the site had promised to call CNBnews.net to explain further about today’s event. He also promised to released the exact number of cats that were removed once they had finished catching all of them. As of this posting we have yet to hear from him.
A Google search for Animal Planet revealed information about a new show titled Help! I’m Becoming a Cat Lady! that debuted July 30. There was a tv crew from Animal Planet outside the house interviewing Stecklair. Another show on Animal Planet is Confession: Animal Hoarding. Whether or not this event will be televised at a later date is not known at this time.
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Comments
1
animal planet said...
great Gloucester will be on tv, .....again
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 09:01 AM
2
on-looker said...
The AWA was invovled, but they did not orchestrate the events that day. Also, all rescues involved were NJ organizations - their vehciles were all outside identifying them as such.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 12:57 PM
3
N. W. said...
Please note that many of the details in the above story are very inaccurate.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 05:33 PM
4
CNBNewsnet said...
Be specific.
For example...
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 05:55 PM
5
Concerned Citizen said in reply to N. W. ...
This story is accurate enough, knowing that this is a developing story. It plainly states we will know the details as they are determined.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 06:03 PM
6
CNBNewsnet said...
Let me explain how I came to find out about this event. Monday morning as I was crossing the railroad tracks at Monmouth Street I noticed a lot of activity at Cumberland Street a block away. There was an ambulance, three large vans, along with a SPCA police truck. Ten to 15 people dressed in uniform shirts. A canopy tent was set up in a nearby lot. And in the street there were a large number of animal carriers.
I asked several people what was going on and I was directed to a person named Jeremy. I introduced myself as a reporter from the Gloucester City News the local paper and gave him my business card. When I asked again what was going on he said he would call me. I asked him to ID himself and he said again he would call me.
I started questioning neighbors and slowly got some answers but nobody wanted to be identified. I did find out that this one family was hoarding cats; that the animal agencies have been to the house twice before to remove cats. I made some notes and went home waiting for the phone call from the mystery man.
In my email box were several emails from people referring to the strange activity at Cumberland and Railroad ave. After two hours and no call from Jeremy I returned to the scene. Cats were now being taken out of one of the homes. A TV camera crew was interviewing Joe Stecklair, of the city housing office. I approached Jeremy again and asked how many cats have been removed so far, and once again he said he would call me. I asked one of the people carrying a cage where were the cats be taken too and was told off the record they are being sent to an area animal shelters to be checked by a vet and then shipped out of state to shelters that have the room. I watched as the cages were tagged with names and heard the person say this one send to Lindenwold, another cage was tagged and sent to another shelter.
Now I am being told, “off the record again”, that the cats are staying here in the state of NJ. I am still waiting for a call from Jeremy, the Animal Planet rep.
I have been told the reason for the secrecy is because a person who is hoarding animals has a sickness and those involved with the removal of these cats wanted to respect their privacy.
The problem of course with that plan is that this scene as I described above was a bevy of activity. Look at how many vehicles were parked in that area. All the people that were involved along with a TV crew. Too many people were asking what was happening?
Furthermore I believe those involved, although they had good intentions, should have spoken with the local media before Monday thus avoiding the “Gloucester City rumor mill.”
For the person who wrote that my story was inaccurate, once again I ask you to be more specific. And until I can get someone to go on the “record” the story will remain as it is written. Hopefully I will eventual hear from Jeremy.
Bill Cleary..
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 08:02 PM
7
whathappened said...
bill,
I am hearing a rumor that an officer of the Gloucester City Swim Club allegedly stole some money recently from the club?
Is there any truth to that rumor? And if so why haven't you reported on it?
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 08:22 PM
8
CNBNewsnet said...
I don't know how we got from cats to an alleged crime on this thread but let me just say I heard this rumor last week.
I emailed my contacts at the Gloucester City Police Dept. and asked them if there was anyone charged with stealing money from the GC Swim Club. I am waiting for a response.
I will ask again.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 08:39 PM
9
Lori said...
How about an interview with the city officials there?
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 10:17 PM
10
CNBNewsnet said...
I did interview Mr. Stecklair, if you read the article you will notice that I quote him.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 12:34 AM
11
CNBNewsnet said...
To What Happened,
As for your question re: the alleged theft of funds from the Gloucester City Swim Club...I have been told by the Gloucester City Police that the matter is still under investigation. No charges have been filed as of today.
Bill
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 02:53 PM
12
[email protected] said...
My family and myself lived in the house directly attached to the home where all of the cats were removed and on several occasions in the 3yrs we lived there we reported the smell from the cats. My son was sent home several times because his clothes smelled like cat urine even though I would wash them in vinegar and laundry detergent. Going into my bathroom was horrible because the smell from the cats would come up through the vents. We finally had to move because my daughter was pregnant and we were fearful that the baby would have health issues if we didn't move from the situation.
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 12:35 PM
13
Glad the cats were cared for said...
Animal Planet is a network, not a show, although the shows were later mentioned. I'm sure they are aware that they can't protect privacy 100% in a town with homes as close together as these, but the idea was to keep area-wide coverage out of the picture. News media spreads info as much as the gossip mill here does at times once they catch wind of something (no pun intended). At least the cats were healthy and not neglected, even if their numbers were excessive.
Friday, August 19, 2011 at 02:04 PM
- See more at: http://www.gloucestercitynews.net/clearysnotebook/2011/08/developing-story-over-a-100-cats-removed-from-gloucester-city-home-cnbnewsnet.html#sthash.JTkaT9gy.dpuf