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‘Overwhelming stench’: What cops found at Pune woman's flat with 300 cats
The flat owner, residing in the Marvel Bounty Housing Society in Hadapsar, has been issued a notice to relocate the cats to a proper facility.
The Maharashtra animal husbandry department and local police visited a flat in Pune after complaints were made about the owner keeping 300 cats inside the residence.
The flat owner, residing in the Marvel Bounty Housing Society in Hadapsar, has been issued a notice to relocate the cats to a proper facility.
HT reported last week that PMC officials informed that notice was served to Rinku Bharadwaj and her sister (Ritu Bharadwaj), residents of the flat in question.
According to an official from Hadapsar police station cited in a news agency PTI report, residents raised concerns about hygiene problems due to the large number of cats. The complaints included a persistent foul odor and excessive noise from the animals.
‘Overwhelming stench’
Residents of Marvel Bounty Housing Society in Hadapsar complained that a flat owner was keeping more than 300 cats inside her flat, leading to hygiene issues.
"There were reports of persistent foul smell and excessive noise caused by the cats," the official said.
Inspecting the situation, a team from the Animal Husbandry Department, led by the district veterinary officer, and the police, discovered the overwhelming conditions inside the 3.5 BHK flat. "We found 300 cats inside the flat. There was overwhelming stench," the official added.
Also Read: Pune SPCA finds over 300 cats crammed inside 3 BHK home, serves notice to owner to shift felines in 48 hours
“The owner of an apartment in Marvel Bounty Society would often bring stray cats home and release them when the cats became healthy... Due to this, a lot of cats had accumulated in the apartment, creating unhygienic conditions, which disturbed the neighbours. The neighbors called the Municipal Corporation, and its officials reached the apartment, surveyed the flats, and gave notice to the owner that all the cats would be released within two days…,” news agency ANI quoted inspector Nilesh Jagdale on Monday.
"No case has been registered yet, and we will consult our senior officials and corporation officials to take legal action. The cats will go into the possession of the Municipal Corporation and will be rescued," he added.
Action is being taken, and the cats are set to be relocated by the authorities.
Pune' Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), which visited the flat last week, also said that the premises were unhygienic and emanated a strong and persistent ammonia-like odour.
"Fresh and dried up faecal matter was found in the flat and there were only four to five litter trays made available for the over 300 cats, the officials said. Veterinary care was found lacking with no vaccination or medical records available for any of the felines. The caretakers themselves were not inoculated and admitted to being unaware of the exact number of cats, indicating a lack of proper management and care. There was clear evidence of uncontrolled breeding with multiple pregnant cats present and no records of sterilisation or birth control measures, the officials told HT.
