A Lake Worth woman is facing over a hundred animal cruelty charges after Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control officials raided her home and found 137 cats living in horrid conditions.
Officials also found six dead cats in the woman's freezer.
All 137 cats found in the residence had to be put down.
See also: - Diane Carle, Crazy Palm Beach Cat Lady, Imprisoned More Than 140 Cats In Urine-Washed Home - Diane Carle, Palm Beach Cat Lady: "I'm Not A Criminal" (New Times Exclusive)
Diane Jane Carle's neighbors had been complaining for years of her cat hoarding problem, which ballooned to her having over one hundred cats living inside her home located in the 1700 block of South 12th Avenue.
Carle, 64, spoke to New Times elusively back in January.
"I have no criminal past," she told us. "I don't see how they can press charges against me. I'll get my veterinarian to come to court. I was not cruel to any cat in any way, shape, or form."
Carle also had a dog, a turtle and a pigeon living in her home. Those animals were also seized in the raid, which went down on December 19.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Carle had her animals living in a home with feces covered-walls, and a rampant urine odor that forced investigators had to wear protective suits and respirators.
The cats were suffering severely from dehydration, and respiratory infections. There were also reports of the cats having severe ear infections, mouth infections, ringworm, and flea infestation. Officials noted that most of the cats were constantly sneezing and losing their fur.
Also, according to the affidavit, officials found six dead cats wrapped in garbage bags inside the home's freezer.
It took animal control investigators six hours to seize the animals. All 137 cats were beyond saving, and had to be euthanized.
In her interview with New Times, Carle tried to reason why owning 10 cats got out of control:
"It didn't happen over night. It didn't happen over the last year. It happened over a long, long time."I had no idea I had so many cats. I probably didn't want to have so many cats. But I was caught up with everyday life and it just happened. I have a lot going on right now."
Carle was arrested on Tuesday, and booked into the Palm Beach County Jail. She is facing 103 felony counts.
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