Animals rescued from a Hickory Flat home where they were living in squalor now are housed at the Cherokee County Animal Shelter. They are being treated for illnesses and being rehabilitated in hopes of being adopted out.
Photo by Anthony Stalcup
Photo by Anthony Stalcup
Sharian Elizabeth Cahill, 43, turned herself in to authorities Monday after being charged with 81 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty.
A condition of her bond requires she not possess, care or have custody of any animals until the case is disposed.
The Cherokee County Marshal's Office last week raided Ms. Cahill's upscale home on Sugar Mill Lane in the Sugar Mill Farms neighborhood off Gantt Road.
Animal control officers, dressed in hazardous materials suits, found 23 dead cats, one dead dog and more than 120 other animals inside the house.
Chief Marshal Ray Waters said animal hoarding is not a common occurrence in Cherokee County. This case is the only one the department has had this year, he said, adding there are about one or two of these cases annually.
"If I had to describe it in one word, it would be horrible," Waters said about the condition of the house, adding it was the worst scene he had ever seen.
The animals were living in their own feces amid dead animals and piles of garbage.
The surviving cats and dogs were put in the care of the county animal shelter to be evaluated and treated for illness.
Sue Garcia, director of the animal shelter, said its intake facility's population grew from 75 animals to 200 overnight.
"It has had a huge impact on staff, supplies, everything," she said, adding she hasn't calculated the cost for the care of the animals, but it would be "quite a price tag."
She said all of the cats have an upper respiratory infection and some have eye issues and missing hair. One kitten had to be euthanized.
She said the goal is to have the cats ready for adoption after a course of antibiotics, which takes 10 to 14 days.
The cats, which include kittens, are domestic long-hair and short-hair breeds.
Dogs rescued from the home could take longer to treat and rehabilitate, she said.
"They have behavioral issues. They need to be socialized," she said, adding they also must be tested for heartworm. The dogs may have to go to rescue organizations for additional care before being adoptable.
The dogs include chow mixes, shepherd mixes and pointer mixes. There are no puppies.
Forty-six cats seized from the house were placed there through the Cherokee County Humane Society's foster program.
The organization inspected Ms. Cahill's home on June 24, as required by state law, but reported no evidence of animal cruelty. The humane society as a result of the discovery by the marshal's office has been banned temporarily from adopting or fostering out animals.
Irene Moore, president of the organization, said they are cooperating with the state Department of Agriculture, which regulates such activity, "completely and totally."
The department is visiting the humane society's other foster homes and reviewing the organization's processes. She said they hope to see the ban lifted "as quick as possible."
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