Dozens of dead cats found at Texas City animal sanctuary

Animal control officers raided an animal sanctuary in Texas City Tuesday where they found nearly 200 neglected cats and dozens dead.

When officers went into the Whiskerville Animal Sanctuary on 6th Street, they had to walk back outside because the smell of rotting dead cats was so strong. The conditions were so unsafe they put on hazmat suits before going back in to rescue the surviving animals.

The owner of Whiskerville, Wydell Dixon, said her employee was supposed to be taking care of the facility.

"I haven't talked to the employee, but supposedly she was letting someone else do her job," Dixon said. "It's not a hard job and I trusted her and thought she was doing that."

Dixon said her employee had worked for her for seven years and nothing like this had happened before.

Animal control was called in after a neighbor called police saying she smelled a stench and peaked into the window. She then saw rotting carcasses sprawled throughout the building. A Local 2 reporter who looked inside saw a baby's crib filled with and surrounded by dead cats.

Police are investigating.