In what’s being described as one of the most disturbing cases of animal neglect ever reported in Arkansas.
Rescuers are racing against time to save more than 100 cats trapped in horrific conditions inside a Faulkner County home.
The shocking discovery came after a local resident reached out to rescuers, pleading for help after stumbling upon the unimaginable.
Videos from inside the property show sick, weak cats sprawled across filthy floors.
The home is infested with insects, filled with garbage, feces, and rotting waste. The smell alone, rescuers say, is overwhelming.
“It’s like walking into a nightmare,” said Maggie Bradley, founder of Biscuit’s Legacy, a volunteer-based rescue group based in Harrisburg, Arkansas.
“I’ve seen a lot of cruelty cases in my time, but this is by far the worst hoarding situation I’ve ever witnessed.”
Bradley, who is also a certified animal cruelty investigator, was contacted after a witness reported that dozens, possibly over a hundred, cats were being held captive inside a house in Faulkner County.
The videos and photos left little room for doubt. Cats could be seen huddled in corners, their fur missing in patches, their eyes swollen shut from infection.
Many were visibly malnourished and struggling to breathe.
“These cats are suffering from severe respiratory infections, parasites, bacterial infections, and likely other chronic illnesses that haven’t even been diagnosed yet,” Bradley explained.
Some cats have open wounds and lesions that rescuers fear could be contagious.
Many appear to be unneutered and have been breeding uncontrollably inside the cramped, toxic space.
It’s unclear how long the animals have been trapped inside the home, but rescuers believe it has been months, if not years.
Shockingly, the witness also reported that a dog lives among the cats and has allegedly never been outside the house.
The homeowner, according to the witness, is an elderly woman who reportedly suffers from dementia and has since moved into an assisted living facility.
However, she still legally owns the cats and has so far refused to sign the surrender forms that would allow rescuers to enter the property.
This refusal has left rescuers in a heartbreaking standstill.
“Without legal permission, we can’t go in,” Bradley said. “And every day we wait, more cats are suffering. Some may not make it another week.”
Bradley immediately reached out to Faulkner County law enforcement and the local health department, urging them to intervene before it’s too late.
The rescue operation, once approved, will be enormous.
Teams of volunteers will have to enter the home wearing hazmat suits and respirators due to the overwhelming stench and high risk of zoonotic disease.
“I’ve already spoken with the health department about safety protocols,” Bradley said.
“We’re prepared for the worst. We expect to find deceased cats inside. It’s something no rescuer ever wants to see.”
The Humane Society of the Delta has stepped up to help.
They’ve offered to take in the rescued cats and have begun relocating their current shelter residents to out-of-state facilities to make room.
The logistics alone are staggering, hundreds of sick, unvaccinated cats will need immediate medical treatment, quarantine space, and long-term care.
But even with all the planning, one obstacle remains: time.
“These cats have been suffering for far too long,” Bradley said. “Every minute counts. We’re trying to move as fast as the law allows.”
The rescue team is also working to raise funds for medical supplies, food, and transportation.
Volunteers have already started preparing carriers, blankets, and disinfectants for when the green light comes.
Local rescuers are urging the public to help however they can, through donations, sharing the story, or offering temporary foster homes for the cats once they’re cleared for adoption.
“This is going to take a community effort,” Bradley said. “We can’t do it alone.”
What began as one person’s desperate call for help has now become a race to save over a hundred innocent lives.
For Bradley and her team, giving up is not an option. They’ve seen too much pain to walk away now.
“This isn’t just about cleaning up a hoarding house,” she said firmly. “It’s about rescuing living, breathing souls who’ve been forgotten. They deserve better.”
As preparations continue, Biscuit’s Legacy is staying hopeful.
The team knows the road ahead will be difficult, but their determination to bring these cats to safety hasn’t wavered.
In Bradley’s words, “They’ve survived this long against impossible odds. The least we can do is make sure they never have to suffer again.”
For those cats still waiting behind the walls of that Faulkner County home, hope is finally on the way.