117 cats found dead, around forty locked in an aviary, their owner taken into police custody

The suspect was already known for similar acts, he was monitored by the association of animal protection investigators (AEPA).

117 cats were found dead last Tuesday and around forty locked in an aviary, in La-Roquette-sur-Siagne (Alpes-Maritimes), announced the association of animal protection investigators to France Bleu Azur on Wednesday February 7, confirming information from BFM Côte d’Azur. Their owner was taken into custody.

It was a neighbor bothered by the odors who raised the alarm. “One of his neighbors contacted us because nauseating odors of ammonia and dirt were emanating from his home. We conducted our investigation day and night to see if there were still cats in this house and we saw some some very very damaged on the outside”explains the president of the association Nathalie Bassot to France Bleu Azur.

50 cats in a freezer

The Association of Animal Protection Investigators (AEPA) monitored the property for two months. AEPA filed a complaint in early January and subsequently prompted law enforcement to search the property. 117 dead cats were discovered in the freezer and garden of a house on Tuesday February 6. 50 cats were buried in the garden and the other 67 were discovered in the freezer.

40 other living but sick cats were found locked in an aviary. They were recovered by the association and must be cared for with a view to being adopted soon. The association must launch an online fundraiser to finance the care of the cats.

An investigation is open

The findings of sick animals are not a first on this property. “This house is known: there were two interventions in 2019 and 2021. In 2019, the SPA seized 58 live but sick cats in this house”, explains Nathalie Bassot. The owner is also well known to surrounding veterinarians, according to the association. “They no longer take him for consultations, because he brings in dead or almost dead cats. This gentleman always does this again, we don’t know why he is not tried”regrets Nathalie Bassot to France Bleu Azur.

The owner “seems to suffer from a fragile psychological situation”, writes the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture on his X account. He was placed in police custody. An investigation was opened by the Grasse public prosecutor’s office.