Dead Cats Found at Animal Sanctuary

TEXAS CITY, Texas - Tuesday night, 160 cats began their recovery at a new shelter in Galveston County.

But 27 cats were not so lucky. They were found dead inside Whiskerville Sanctuary in Texas City.

Wydell Dixon, the owner of the facility, said she was out of town last month and left a trusted employee and friend in charge.

"All I can tell you is I have an employee that was paid to take care of these animals on a daily basis,” Dixon said. “It’s not a hard job, and I trusted her and thought she was doing that.”

She said she was under the impression the litter boxes were changed daily, the facility was cleaned, and the animals were offered fresh food and water.

But Animal Control officers said it appears the cats, some of them kittens, have been left for about a month.

In fact, the smell was so foul, they had to wear masks and body suits while sifting through the two buildings in search of more deceased cats.

While waiting for more information, Dixon said it was a concerned neighbor who brought the situation to light.

"We found out today that apparently somebody looked in the window and saw some deceased kittens."

Dixon is adamant of her innocence, saying she had no idea of the conditions these cats were living in.