Woman accused of abandoning at least 7 cats at Bear Creek home

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A woman is facing four charges of animal cruelty after authorities said she abandoned her cats at a Bear Creek home in February.

A warrant is out for the arrest of Valerie Joanne Hooper, 59, who is accused of failing to provide food, water, care and shelter to the animals. She faces up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine for each of the charges.

In March, authorities said they found seven malnourished cats, two dead cats and the skeletal remains of a cat at a residence in the 15600 block of Fern Basin Drive, in northwest Harris County.

Hooper, who now lives at a location less than 5 miles away from that residence, had not fed her cats for at least four weeks, authorities said.