MONMOUTH, Illinois-- A cat rescue situation in Monmouth, Illinois is getting my extensive by the minute. The number of felines that need help is growing.
Earlier this week, 79 cats were pulled from a home after neighbors reported the situation to police.
The rescues are now being treated at a number of different animal hospitals and shelters in the area, but some were too sick and had to be euthanized.
Take a step inside the Warren County Animal Control Center. Every single crate and stall is filled with cats rescued from one home.
"Today we're in the process of evaluating. We have several at the vet right now,m" says Monmouth Animal Control Officer Robbin Avery.
After the animals are medically cleared, they can be moved to different shelters to be put up for adoption.
"Some have eye problems, upper respiratory, they have wounds from fleas biting them," says Dan Porter from the Western Illinois Animal Rescue.
But with every step forward, rescuers have taken steps back, finding more cats that need care.
"We do keep coming across more and more that are pregnant, and so the number of 79 is already going to climb probably quite high," says Avery.
Avery sees how a situation like this could get out of control quickly.
"One cat can have hundreds and hundreds of cats over five years, and that's a huge problem," says Avery.
Now in order to move forward, Avery says it's going to take the help of pet owners everywhere.
"Spay and neuter, I wish I could tell you how many times I've repeated that," says Avery.
To fix the problem, fix your pets.
Police have sent an investigation report to the Warren County State's Attorney to consider charges against the people who live in the house where the cats were rescued.