MILTON, Ont. – A Milton woman is facing nine animal cruelty charges after the Oakville and Milton Humane Society (OMHS) found 107 cats in her home in September.
Ruth Naccarato, the owner of Kool Kats Rescue, was charged under the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) Act.
The OMHS raided the home on Steeles Avenue west of Winston Churchill Boulevard on Sept. 5 and found 10 dead cats inside. Another cat had to be euthanized.
Brenda Dushko with the humane society said the woman’s home did not have appropriate sanitary conditions.
“Many of them had to do with the conditions of the home when the animals were being kept, failing to provide the necessary things that animals need to be well cared for, like food and water,” Dushko told 680News.
She said the cats were removed over a period of a few days.
“It took a little while to get all of them out in varying degrees of health. Some were in very bad shape.”
Naccarato could face a lifetime ban on owning animals, a fine, and jail time.
The cats are being cared for at the Oakville and Milton Humane Society. Dushko said some of the cats will soon be up for adoption.
“The ones that are healthier, we’re hoping to have an adopt-a-thon in the next few weeks,” she said.
However, many of the neglected cats may take months to recover from health issues which range from malnutrition to skin ailments, to dental infections.
Naccarato’s next court appearance is scheduled for November 19.