Walker, Louisiana woman faces 54 counts after 17 cats found dead in extreme heat

Twenty cats rescued in severe distress from Walker business

A 29-year-old Walker, Louisiana, woman surrendered to police Thursday morning and faces 54 animal cruelty charges after 17 cats were found dead and 20 others were rescued in severe distress from a business where temperatures approached 100F.

Madison Rebecca Colello turned herself in at the Livingston Parish detention center, according to the Walker Police Department. She faces 17 felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty — one count for each dead cat — and 37 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.

The charges stem from a September 12 welfare check at a Walker business called Waffles Way Home. Police officers responded around 12:30 p.m. to a report of suspected animal cruelty and entered through an open door at the property. Inside, they encountered temperatures approaching 100F (37.8C).

Dozens of cats and kittens were confined inside with no access to food or water, according to police. Seventeen were found dead; the remaining 20 were rescued in severe distress.

“The cats and kittens who were allegedly the responsibility of Ms Colello obviously suffered a terrible fate,” Walker Police Chief David Addison said in remarks reported by The Guardian. “The number of animals affected by the cruelty is heartbreaking. Our department intends to send a clear message that this kind of abuse will not be tolerated in Walker.”

Police said the space where the animals were confined was otherwise clean, but the extreme heat and lack of veterinary care had taken a serious and inhumane toll on the animals.

Walker animal control, representatives from the animal shelter in nearby Denham Springs and volunteers from the nonprofit Rescue, Rehome & Repeat responded to provide emergency medical treatment and shelter to the surviving animals, according to Louisiana outlet WAFB.

Jeff Dorson, director of the Humane Society of Louisiana, told the Advocate that the Rescue Alliance of Gonzales took in 12 additional sick cats that Colello allegedly kept in her garage. Dorson said all 12 cats were suffering from upper respiratory infections and possible ringworm.