A Harrisburg woman tells police she doesn’t want cats to go hungry. Now, she’s in custody for animal endangerment.
At any point, you’ll see a stray cat roaming the 2000 block of Manada Street. City officials say they’re looking for food. But the woman accused of feeding up to two dozen cats, Donna Layton, is no longer allowed to do that.
Neighbor Gloria Skorija and her dog Uber could barely live at home because of stray cats. She says, “It’s overpowering, a lot of times, I’ll come home to make dinner and I just shut the door and leave, it’s that bad.”
This week, the stench of cat urine coming from Layton’s home has gone down.
Skorija says, “Typically when we walk out the door to take our dog out, there are 5-6 cats on our porch, the last 2 days we’ve had no cat on our porch.”
That’s because city leaders say they’re putting an end of cat hoarding, beginning with Layton’s home.
Harrisburg Police Captain, Colin Cleary says they, “Made sure the structure was safe, there was no unsafe areas or levels of ammonia, fire bureau did a walk through of the residence to make sure it was structurally sound.”
The Harrisburg area Humane Society retrieved three dead cats from inside Layton’s home. Police interviewed Layton before they took her into custody.
Captain Cleary says, “She has been cooperative, she has told us that she’s been feeding the cats out of the goodness of her heart and doesn’t want them to go hungry.”
Workers with the Humane Society are also investigating additional animal cruelty charges.
Executive Director, Amy Kaunas says, “There was evidence of some fresh activity from cats but the ammonia level and overall odor and signs would not indicate a house full of cats.”
Skorija says, “I’m just really glad it’s going to come to an end…she (Uber) can run freely in her own yard.
Mayor Eric Papenfuse says the city will continue to trap stray cats and crack down on code violators.
It’s also crucial you help control animal overpopulation by spaying and neutering your pets.