GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — A woman who was accused of leaving nearly 20 cats abandoned in her home in March pleaded guilty to animal cruelty.
38-year-old Amanda Louise Gallant appeared in court on May 21 and was sentenced to 30 days in jail with 12 months of unsupervised probation.
Gallant is ordered to pay a $50 fine and ordered to not contact anyone involved in the case.
Kitties In The City Rescue, a local foster-based organization in Guntersville that rescued the cats in March, described the home as a “house of horrors.”
“We found deceased cats and kittens,” a spokesperson for the rescue said. “Sixteen alive and had to come in such a horrendous living condition and rescue the ones who survived for more than two weeks without any sign of their owner.”
According to the rescue, the cats were found locked inside Gallant’s home. Originally, the organization thought she had moved to North Carolina. However, they discovered that she had only moved about 10 minutes away.
The spokesperson sent News 19 a statement regarding Gallant’s plea deal:
“I’m not sure if this is real justice for what the cats endured. At least three died that we know of (definitely could’ve been more under the rubbish). They starved to death which is extremely painful. These cats were found with sores, abscesses, worms, fleas, found living in cabinets, behind a refrigerator, lamp shades, surrounded by pounds and pounds of urine & blood soaked floors, bedding, & feces. You couldn’t take a step without getting waste on you. You couldn’t breathe it was so strong with ammonia. Finding dead rotting cats & kittens, living tapeworms spilling out of their bottoms, this was an unbelievable heartbreaking experience.
As a rescuer, I’ve seen some horrible things. This is one case I will never forget. It’s imprinted on my heart for a lifetime. Those cats were beyond pitiful.
We cried as we dug holes in the ground hoping justice would be served. I will say that I’m super happy that there was jail time. I feel like there should’ve been 19 charges, one for each life that suffered at the hands of the woman who claimed to love them and left then to the inevitable. I am happy “something” was done but this is an example of our relaxed laws in Alabama as it relates to protecting the innocent & voiceless. We need better animal laws not only for dogs but the all too often forgotten cats too.
As far as punishment, it should be an automatic ban that anyone charged and convicted shall not ever own or have another pet for a lifetime. Most abusers don’t stop. For the rare low percentage of people who do change, it’s not enough to give a blanket pass allowing animals in the hands of someone with a history of abuse & neglect. Our laws and punishments are far from where we need to be. There should be such a stiff punishment that people would actually have to stop and think “oh gosh, is me doing this worth it bc xyz could happen” these abusers know they get a slap on the wrist & go on. There isn’t a second thought to dumping, abandoned, starving, forcing hazard living conditions, hitting, hurting, and doing terrible things to animals who can not defend themselves here in Alabama. We need federal laws, state laws, and local laws to step it up.
On one hand I’m happy but on the other, I’m devastated. The conditions these poor cats were found in should have a stiffer punishment. I realize that the people passing the sentencing did not see in person what we did. They didn’t smell it, they didn’t run outside to gasp for fresh air, or gag from the sight & smell. Nor did they see the terror in these cats faces. They didn’t see how they were so terrified and how we had to trap some in rooms just to wrangle them in carriers to get then out of there. What is it going to take to feel like we have dignity & compassion for all breathing creatures and their suffering mattered? Animal lovers everywhere need their voices heard.
In the end our rescue physically got out all the cats who were alive upon entry. My volunteer & myself were out there every single day from the moment we found out. It took a few days bc we are such a small rescue, we had to plan and take out two at a time some days bc we were begging for space and new fosters hoping to find placement. Thankfully two great fellow Rescuers got some off our hands.
They all got vet care, medicines, they were all fully vetted, spayed, neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, dewormed, de flea, and the ones that needed more extensive care got it. Kitties In The City Rescue took 9, Cattyshack 2, and Friends of Rescue 4, Marshall County 4.
Thank everyone, especially Tina with Cattyshack & Jennifer with FOR for partnering making saving them a success.”
Kitties in the City Rescue
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