Two charged over cat hoarding damage to Fort Wayne homes

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Prosecutors have filed charges against the two people accused of hoarding almost a hundred cats at a rental home in Fort Wayne. We've learned Wednesday that the couple abandoned the cats and moved into a second rental home.

More than two months after animal care and control officers removed almost 100 cats from this home on Elmer Avenue neighbors are still in disbelief.

"I cannot believe it. It's gross. I'm glad it's being taken care of," neighbor Kevin Richmond said.

Jeffery Tourney and Constance Anderson are facing two felony charges of criminal mischief and five misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. Just days after more than 60 cats were euthanized from the Elmer Avenue home Anderson spoke out.

According to court documents, Anderson said things in the Elmer Avenue home got too overwhelming. So, she and Tourney moved into another rental home.

Anderson told police six years ago they took in two stray cats. They never got them fixed. The cats began to multiply and got out of control.

Amy Jo Sites is the Deputy Director of Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control. She said this just goes to show how important it is to spay and neuter pets.

"The overpopulation problem becomes very quickly. It's a very fast process. There's heat cycles that animals go through rather quickly. It's not uncommon for them to get out of one heat cycle, get pregnant, and go right into another heat cycle. That's why it's important to spay and neuter immediately," Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control Deputy Director Amy Jo Sites said.

According to court documents, Anderson said they abandoned the cats a year ago. They moved into a rental home in the 600 block of Irene Avenue some time later. Neighbors on Irene Avenue can't believe it.

"It really makes me sick. I'm just glad they found out were they were living. I hope they get them," neighbor Kathy English said.

According to court documents, between the two homes there's more than $70,000 in damages.