Valencia County Animal Control officers last week seized 49 cats from the Meadow Lake home of 46-year-old Heidi Burge, calling it one of the worst cases of animal hoarding they'd seen, the Valencia County News-Bulletin reported.

Neighbors had complained of a strong odor coming from Burge's single-wide mobile home, and when Erik Tanner, director of animal control, and animal control officer John Jaramillo, drove on to her property last Tuesday they could smell the ammonia from animal urine and feces before they even opened the door of their truck, the News-Bulletin said.

"It's a distinct odor," Tanner told the News-Bulletin. "If you've ever smelled it, you know what it is immediately."

Tanner described Burge's home as being covered in cat feces -- in some places over a foot deep, and in other places packed tightly to the floor, on countertops and in cupboards, the paper reported.

After a search warrant was served last Tuesday, authorities seized a total of 36 cats and two dogs, and Burge willingly surrendered 13 cats on the following day, the News-Bulletin said.

"There are a lot of cats still there," Tanner told the paper. "But after that first day, we decided we weren't going back in because of the ammonia level. It could be very dangerous. She has acclimated to the surroundings, but anyone else who goes into the house could be subject to severe respiratory problems."

Authorities also are looking into having the county condemn the property under its mobile home abatement ordinance, and Tanner said Adult Protective Services has been informed of Burge's situation, the News-Bulletin said.

Meanwhile, Burge is facing 40 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, and additional charges could be filed once animal control officials get an accurate head count, said Tanner, who estimated that Burge had close to 100 cats on her property. 

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