Temporary shelter set up to house 138 cats found unattended in Sugar Land home

SUGAR LAND, Texas (KTRK) -- Sugar Land's Animal Services shelter set up a temporary shelter in Duhacsek Park for more than 100 new animals that were discovered inside a Sugar Land home last week.

After a family member of a Lakeside subdivision homeowner called the city, animal control officers said they found 138 cats and a few dogs unattended and in desperate need of help.

The shelter found many of the animals malnourished, and some were suspected of contagious medical conditions including ringworms, parasites and other various injuries.

For the shelter, this was not the best time for them to see a crisis. The shelter has been working to contain a deadly cat virus called panleukopenia, on top of a shortage of employees.

The shelter said that would be a lot for them normally, but this comes just one month after several employees were either fired or quit after an investigation discovered that dozens of animals were improperly euthanized at the shelter.

"Even during normal time periods, 138 cats would have overwhelmed us but given the fact that we were understaffed and managing shelter operations with volunteers, we were facing what amounted to a crisis," Doug Adolph, the communications director for the city of Sugar Land, said.

Both the city's Whiskerville shelter, and the temporary shelter, are closed for quarantine in an effort to contain the outbreak.

They say once the quarantine is lifted, the animals will be up for adoption or fostering until they find a forever home.

Until then, the shelter will be accepting donations.