Couple With 159 Cats Permanently Banned From Keeping Pets

A couple from France has received a lifelong prohibition on pet ownership following the rescue of 159 Neglected cats and seven dogs from their residence.

The man, aged 52, and his partner, aged 68, cohabited with these animals in their 861 square foot (80 square meters) apartment.

It has been reported that the animals were kept in appalling circumstances, and authorities found the remains of cats and dogs within the premises.

Couple kept 159 cats and 7 dogs in their apartment in France

According to a report by BBC News, a distressing discovery was made by police last year when they were called to address a dispute at a couple’s apartment. The officers encountered numerous cats and dogs suffering from dehydration, malnutrition, and parasitic infections, living in rooms littered with animal waste.

Court records indicate that in 2018, the woman had brought three cats and three dogs from her parents’ home. Subsequently, she took in an additional 30 cats found in a deserted structure. The population of the animals expanded due to reproduction.

In a hearing on Wednesday, April 3, as reported by the South China Morning Post, the woman admitted to the Nice Criminal Court that she had made a grave mistake and maintained that the animals were “the love of her life.” Psychological assessments conducted on the woman resulted in a diagnosis of “Noah’s syndrome,” a disorder characterized by a compulsive urge to accumulate and look after animals beyond one’s capacity.

Despite her affection for the animals, the court adjudged the couple guilty of neglect, citing the dire health condition of the animals. The judge ordered the couple to compensate animal welfare organizations and advocacy groups with a sum of $162,000.

Moreover, the couple is now forbidden from owning pets and received a one-year suspended sentence. The prosecution initially recommended a minimum of 18 months in prison for the couple