REDFORD TWP. (WWJ) -- A holiday weekend break-in has set back the effort to rescue numerous feral cats from a hoarding house in Redford Township.
Redford Township Police say they will prosecute the person, or people, who broke into the condemned home — on Gaylord Street, near Grand River Ave. — and made off with five live traps that were being used to catch the cats.
Animal rescue efforts have been called off for the day in Redford. Officials say the home is simply too dangerous to enter, with overwhelming ammonia levels, floors buried in garbage and animal waste. Dozens of cats remain inside.
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The break-in happened overnight, according to Redford Twp. Police Chief Jennifer Mansfield, who said traps that we stolen likely had cats in them.
The house is under an Imminent Danger Order from the Wayne County Health Officer, and anyone who went inside without protective gear risks exposure to E. coli, salmonella and other diseases, officials said.
All open windows and doors have now been boarded up.
The investigation at the home began back on June 25, where firefighters responded to the home. Neighbors told WWJ's Darrylin Horne that they'd been complaining for years about the house, which was stinking up the block, and they were happy to see something finally being done about it.
So far, authorities said they have removed 29 cats from the home. They are being cared for at Michigan Humane. It's unclear how many cats there may be in total.
Officials said the man who lived there was taken to a hospital and was "getting some help."
