40 Kittens Found in Freezer of Home—16 More Cats Rescued From Dangerous Conditions

On Tuesday, the frozen bodies of 40 dead cats were recovered from the freezer of a home in Rensselaer, New York. Local resident Pamela Brown Mead had been evicted from her home and willingly surrendered the animals to law enforcement. Police contacted the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society (MHHS) after learning about Mead’s animal hoarding. 

“They knew that there was going to be a large number of cats inside the property, so they requested us to come assist,” Andrew Fiumano, director of Humane Law Enforcement at the MHSS, told News10. 

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To make matters even more tragic, the 40 deceased cats found bagged and wrapped in the freezer were mostly newborns and young kittens. According to Rensselaer police Chief Warren Famiglietti, it would be too difficult and expensive to examine the cats’ cause of death. The home was also reportedly covered in overwhelming amounts of animal waste, to the point where the first responders were choking on the air due to the high ammonia levels. 

There is good news in this terrible situation, though. Authorities were able rescue 16 cats from the unsafe and unsanitary conditions. Twelve cats were rescued during the initial search, with four more rescued later in the afternoon. While the rescued cats came in with fleas, dirt, and upper respiratory infections, thankfully none of them had any chronic illnesses or urgent wounds that would require surgery or long-term treatment. 

“We aren’t seeing any horrific, urgent surgical needs or anything like that,” said Fiumano. “But it’s a lot of illness that just kind of correlates with long term neglect.”

The cats have all been treated and are doing well. Meanwhile, Mead has been charged with 12 counts of animal neglect and cruelty. She is set to reappear in court on Wednesday, where she will likely face more charges. Unfortunately, this sort of animal abuse is all too common in cases of animal hoarding. 

As Rensselaer City Mayor Michael Strammel told News10, “This particular case is a case that happens way too often. And what it is, is it’s not that the individual wants to be cruel to animals, the mental health situation has to do with the individual that has let this situation go awry. Now the person is facing criminal charges.”

The MHSS posted a few pictures of the rescued cats on Instagram. While the kitties certainly look a bit ruffled, they are being taken care of and eating well. The caption explains the rescue situation and adds more insight.

“While nothing can undo the suffering these animals faced, we are grateful for our partnership with law enforcement that allowed us to bring the surviving cats to safety,” the post reads. “This is also a reminder of how critical it is to speak up if you suspect animals are in need.”

The MHSS will share more updates on the cats conditions in the future. Hopefully they can find safe, clean forever homes soon. In the meantime, they have a donation page specifically set up for these rescued cats.