Mother And Daughter Found Living In Deplorable Conditions After Police Find Minivan With 38 Sickly Cats

#1 Concerned Citizen Noticed Unusual Behavior And Odor

A mother and daughter were arrested after police found them living in a minivan with 38 cats. Sandy Springs, Georgia police said a concerned citizen flagged down an officer and informed him of a van with a number of cats and a foul odor coming from inside.

#2 Cat Urine And Feces

When the police found the minivan, parked in a supermarket parking lot, they reported smelling a strong odor of cat urine and feces coming from the van. More than 38 cats, including days-old kittens, were found inside the van, which they had to break into to rescue the animals.

#3 Mother And Daughter Living In The Van

After getting into the van, the inhabitants, two women, came to the scene. The two women who were later identified as the owners of the animals and the van, were at the store shopping for food and water when police arrived. They were identified as 41-year-old Alexandra Wingate and 70-year-old Sharyn Wingate, who reportedly had warrants out for their arrests on previous animal cruelty charges.

#4 She Said She Was A Local Vet

Officers were reportedly overwhelmed by the unsanitary smell and putrid conditions they found the animals in. They could not believe that two grown women were also living in such a foul mess. Alexandra Wingate initially told officers that she was a local vet and was using the van to transport the cats.

#5 Previously Arrested For Cruelty To Animals

Upon investigation and further questioning, officers obtained information that the mother and daughter had been arrested for cruelty to animals in 2014 when hazmat crews and a rescue team had to wade through their filthy home in Dunwoody to rescue over 70 cats.

#6 Living In Deplorable Conditions

Just months ago the two were also arrested on the same charges when the sheriff's office was called to rescue 40 more cats from their home they say were living in deplorable conditions. "We went through tons of trash for the cats, digging on our hands and knees," said Tim Poorman of Fulton County Animal Control. The judge ordered them to never own animals again after they were fined and placed on 5 years probation for animal cruelty.

#7 They Had Been Evicted For Having Pets In The House

Police and the Fulton County Animal Shelter say that they even found tiny, days-old kittens inside a cup holder in the filthy van and some cats stuck in the dashboard. The police are uncertain as to how the two woman became homeless and living in the run down van, but say that they had been evicted from their previous home after the arrests on cruelty to animals was publicized, stating that they had a long battle about leaving the home with the owner. He ended up suing them for lease violations and had them physically removed. At the time they left they did not have any cats in their possession.

#8 The Cats Are Ready For Adoption

Despite living in such horrible conditions, the cats had fleas, parasites, and respiratory infections but are all doing fine. LifeLine Animal Project, which manages Fulton County Animal Services, said 34 of the cats are ready to be adopted. The remaining four are being held as one is pregnant and two have serious infections.

#9 Animal Control Advises On Having More Pets Than Necessary

Tim Poorman of Fulton County Animal Control says that "they think they are doing good for the animals, but in reality they aren't." He advises people not to take in any more pets than they can afford or are able to care for financially. He said that some people hoard animals to save them like other people hoard belongings, believing they are doing it for the good of the animals. "In the long term, it's not a good thing to try and hoard and save pets when you can't take care of yourself," he said. "It's an illness with some people."

The Wingate women will face additional charges for animal cruelty and are currently being held in the Fulton County Jail until charges from Dekalb County can be decided since all three incidents took place between the two locations.