MADRID, Iowa — A Polk County man was charged with several counts of animal neglect and animal disposal violations Wednesday after authorities discovered about 100 cats and 200 cat carcasses at his acreage southeast of Madrid in late May.
Dennis Michael Carlson, 65, was arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s office and charged with five counts of animal neglect and three counts of failure to dispose of a dead animal.
County animal control officers and the Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL) responded to the initial report May 28 and eventually removed 97 living cats and 193 dead cats and kittens from Carlson’s house and outbuildings.
The ARL of Iowa released the following statement Wednesday about the atrocious conditions in which the animals were found.
“When ARL rescuers arrived, the smell was overwhelming even from the street. Dozens of cats were pressed up against open windows, trying to get fresh air. Air quality levels inside the house were so toxic that ARL rescuers were required to wear respirators and protective suits and were only allowed in the house for 30 minutes at a time. Inside, multiple feet of feces and garbage covered every square inch of the home, including kitchen counters — and dead cats filled refrigerators and freezers, alongside the owner’s own food. Cat urine soaked the curtains that hung near the floor. Bags upon bags of cat feces were stacked in living areas.
“As rescuers continued to remove cats, our team rushed load after load of cats back to the ARL where our Emergency Medical Team awaited to immediately begin triaging and treating the cats and kittens that were most critical. Many of the kittens were just days old, the tiniest weighing only 4 ounces. We placed the youngest in incubators in our Kitten NICU to help them regulate their body heat, and we began bottle feeding the unweaned kittens until we could identify if any of the females would nurse. Almost all have fleas and upper respiratory infections, and many have broken teeth, skin infections, and other infected wounds. We won’t know what else they’re facing until lab results come back.”
An ARL spokesperson said the sudden large influx of cats is a challenge to the resources of the organization, and the public is asked for assistance.
Polk County District Associate Probate Judge Craig E. Block authorized protective services for Carlson Tuesday.
