CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — A woman has been charged after officials say over 60 cats were found living in horrible conditions on her property.
According to an arrest warrant obtained by Channel 2 Action News, deputies arrested Sara Smith on Dec. 15 and charged the 45-year-old with 62 counts of animal cruelty, one count for each cat that was found on her property.
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“[Smith] knowingly and intentionally exercised custody, control, possession or ownership of an animal, failed to provide to such animal adequate sanitary conditions, or ventilation,” officials wrote in the warrant.
During the investigation, deputies discovered Smith would place cats inside small sheds that did not have a way to walk in and out of. According to deputies, four sheds were seated next to each other, two of which held the cats on the property.
The warrant said the two sheds on the property had 48 cats split between them.
Fourteen more cats were discovered inside a small pull-behind camper. All the places where the cats were kept had a litter box that deputies said was full, piles of feces on the ground, and urine puddles on the floor.
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Deputies noted in the warrant that the second shed held the sicker cats with multiple eye, body and respiratory issues. The warrant added that the shed also had a box full of paint, paint thinner and other chemicals, filling the room with a strong ammonia odor.
According to deputies, while searching the camper, they came across one paralyzed cat in a cage full of urine.
Channel 2 Action News asked the Cherokee County Marshal’s office what became of the cats after Smith’s arrest but has not received a response.
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