Feb 17, 2010: Animal control director says Saginaw woman did her best to care for the nearly 50 cats removed from her condemned home
By: Gus Burns
Of the nearly 50 cats once living at the Saginaw home of Nannette K. Oakes, 71, about 20 have the potential to be adopted and the others will be euthanized, Valerie McCullough of the Saginaw County Animal Care Center says.
The city of Saginaw condemned Oakes home at 2010 Perkins on the city’s East Side Monday and ordered the removal of the felines that called the 1519-square-foot, 1920-built structure their home.
The smell left behind by the cats would “knock you off your feet,” said Rob Davis, a code enforcer with the city’s SCENIC group.
McCullough said the animal center euthanized 11 of the 44 upon arrival at the center because behavioral or health issues rendered them unlikely for adopted. The center euthanized 2,217 of the 2,577 it boarded in 2009, according to center statistics provided by McCullough
McCullough visited the home and said “the smell was pretty bad, but as far as the care of the animals, she was not neglecting them. She cared for them the best she could," McCullough said. "She gave them a home.”
She said Oakes had good intentions “but there is no way she had time to give each and every one of them very much attention.”
Oakes, who retired as an elementary teacher from Saginaw Public Schools in 1990, said she took in strays and people dropped unwanted cats off at her home knowing she’d board them..." More
Of the nearly 50 cats once living at the Saginaw home of Nannette K. Oakes, 71, about 20 have the potential to be adopted and the others will be euthanized, Valerie McCullough of the Saginaw County Animal Care Center says.
The city of Saginaw condemned Oakes home at 2010 Perkins on the city’s East Side Monday and ordered the removal of the felines that called the 1519-square-foot, 1920-built structure their home.
The smell left behind by the cats would “knock you off your feet,” said Rob Davis, a code enforcer with the city’s SCENIC group.
McCullough said the animal center euthanized 11 of the 44 upon arrival at the center because behavioral or health issues rendered them unlikely for adopted. The center euthanized 2,217 of the 2,577 it boarded in 2009, according to center statistics provided by McCullough
McCullough visited the home and said “the smell was pretty bad, but as far as the care of the animals, she was not neglecting them. She cared for them the best she could," McCullough said. "She gave them a home.”
She said Oakes had good intentions “but there is no way she had time to give each and every one of them very much attention.”
Oakes, who retired as an elementary teacher from Saginaw Public Schools in 1990, said she took in strays and people dropped unwanted cats off at her home knowing she’d board them..." More
Feb 16, 2010: Saginaw code enforcers remove 45 cats from Saginaw home
By Gus Burns
The ammonia from the cat urine was so noxious it would “knock you off your feet,” a city code enforcer says.
Rob Davis, a city code specialist with Saginaw's SCENIC group, said the police, fire department, code enforcers and animal control workers lured and caged 45 cats that had been living inside the home of Nannette K. Oakes of 2010 Perkins in Saginaw Monday.
It became a health and code issue and she’d been warned to take care of the problem about 10 months ago but failed to do so, Davis said. He said animal control was called in after the city received additional complaints recently about feline-related problems originating from the home.
Davis said Oakes’ problem with hoarding cats started small — just a few at first. Then she provided homes to a couple more, and eventually, Davis said, she became known for her inability to turn away felines and as a place for people to drop off unwanted cats.
The problem got out of control. The house was crammed with “cats jumping all over each other all over the place,” Davis said.
He said Oakes’ hoarding problem extends beyond her multiplying. He said while walking the home there were multiple rooms that inspectors couldn’t enter because the doors were obstructs by household possession on the other side..." More
