A large-scale rescue operation took place on Monday, March 24, when animal rescue organizations from Arkansas and Mississippi teamed up to remove over 30 cats from a Blytheville home. The rescue mission followed a call to emergency services regarding an elderly woman’s health, which eventually led authorities to discover an alarming situation involving the large number of cats in the home.
Connie Ash, Director of Mended Paws Sanctuary, explained, “The conditions are just not safe, and so, it was in the best interest of everybody, animals, and people, to make this all happen.”
Ash revealed that the situation first became known weeks earlier when emergency medical services (EMS) responded to a call about an elderly woman struggling to breathe. Upon arriving at the scene, EMS quickly realized the deteriorating condition of the couple living in the home.
Blytheville police reached out to Animal Control and Mended Paws for help in removing the large number of cats. Ash shared that the initial estimate of animals in the home was overwhelming, prompting the need for outside assistance. “We were able to partner with several resources outside of the state and inside the state,” said Ash, noting the collaboration between various organizations from both Arkansas and Mississippi.
Rescue teams spent hours carefully removing the cats, with partner organizations dividing the animals based on available resources. By the end of the operation, a total of 38 cats were recovered, although one was found deceased.
Blytheville police have arrested Paul Williams Taylor, who now faces charges of animal cruelty and endangering the welfare of an incompetent person. Authorities confirmed that the elderly woman in question was Taylor’s 92-year-old mother. Taylor remains in the Mississippi County jail and is expected to appear in court tomorrow.
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