Animal Services

The Iredell Dozen

This page is your resource for learning the most up-to-date information about the 12 cats taken in by Orange County Animal Services from the July 2012 hoarding case in Iredell County.

Background

In response to a request from the Iredell County Animal Services and Control, Orange County Animal Services has taken in twelve cats from a recent hoarding case in Mooresville, NC. The request came after a raid on the Iredell County residence, where over 200 cats were being kept in poor living conditions inside a 900-square-foot home.

About one fourth of the cats originally seized had to be euthanized due to behavioral or medical reasons, leaving nearly 150 healthy cats that went to the Iredell County Animal Shelter for adoption and transfer to other organizations. Orange County was among those that offered to help relieve some of the burden, and Animal Services staff traveled to Statesville Tuesday, July 31st to evaluate and choose the cats that would become known as ‘The Iredell Dozen’ (each named after a city, township or landmark of Iredell County). Careful consideration was given to choosing a variety of ages, colors and genders, not only to provide options to Orange County residents hoping to adopt one of these animals, but also to avoid leaving Iredell County with only those cats that were considered less adoptable.

Adopting a Hoarding Case Cat

The twelve cats chosen to travel from Statesville to Chapel Hill are all wonderful, deserving kitties, each with its own unique personality and experience. Some are more social than others, but all are considered adoptable and adaptable. Animal Services urges those interested in adopting one of these cats to remember that animals from traumatic experiences can often need more patience and time for adjustment than other animals. Sometimes animals from such situations may have trouble adapting to things like litterboxes, other household pets, small children, or otherwise high energy homes.

Potential adopters that want to help, but that have homes or schedules not conducive to working with such an animal are encouraged to consider other options such as adopting one of our many other wonderful cats, sponsoring the adoption fee for a cat in our facility, making a donation, or helping to spread the word about our animals to friends and family.

Click to read this article from Tufts on Animal Hoarding research

Click to read this article from Animal Planet on animals from hoarding situations.