CLEARFIELD – A local couple facing 36 felony charges for neglecting a hundred cats at their Hyde apartment, pleaded guilty to lesser charges Monday.
Before their arrest, officials reportedly found 36 dead cats in boxes on their porch and discovered they had buried others nearby in a wooded area.
Thomas Duane Rowles, 37, and Ana E. Houston, 33, were charged in December of 2022 with 36 felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, 36 misdemeanor counts of neglect of animals-vet care and 62 misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals.
During sentencing court Monday, they each pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor counts each of cruelty to animals and neglect animals-vet care and were given 10 years probation by Judge Paul E. Cherry. They were also ordered to not have any pets while they are on probation.
They must pay $500 plus costs and $775 in restitution to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The affidavit of probable cause details how police were contacted about the situation by the Clearfield County SPCA on Dec. 30, 2022.
SPCA Humane Officer, Melony Sopic said there was an “ongoing issue” with cats at the Rowles and Houston apartment.
When questioned, Houston said they had nine cats originally, and had two of them fixed, but the others multiplied.
She further explained she had been in contact with a local animal rescue group, Animals Matter of Clearfield County Inc., which advised her that the SPCA would not take any of the cats.
Police then spoke with Heather Hoover, manager of Animals Matter who reported that she removed 28 cats from the home starting in mid-October 2022. One of the kittens became sick and was taken to a local vet hospital where it was discovered the animal had head trauma and pneumonia.
She stated that she was never asked about the SPCA taking their cats.
Hoover said they contacted her again on Dec. 20, 2022, saying the cats were dying. The symptoms described by Houston indicated to Hoover that they were starving.
Sopic later reported that they recovered 26 living cats from the residence with one “slumped over a water bowl, appearing to be sick.” There were only two litter boxes in the apartment.
Sopic noted that the 26 cats would need to be euthanized because of the risk of a disease that could be transferred to the other cats in their facility.
Curwensville Borough Animal Control Enforcement Officer, Justin Hammond, was also questioned about the case.
He reported that Houston had contacted him on Oct. 11, 2022 about the cats and he assisted Hoover in removing cats from the home. At that time, he said he observed 77 cats in the residence.
When questioned, Rowles said they found two dead cats under their bed about a week earlier and 36 of them died within a few days. He admitted that they did not seek any veterinarian care for any of the cats, according to the report.