Georgia: Lila Brennan, 60, moved out of her house, leaving her 9 pets to die. By the time, police arrived, all six cats locked in the garage were dead

GEORGIA -- A Gwinnett County woman is facing six misdemeanor animal cruelty charges after Gwinnett County sheriff's deputies said she allowed six cats to starve to death inside her garage.

Furniture and trash littered the front yard of the Loganville home at 144 Ozora Road.

LILA BRENNAN abandoned her
animals to die

Deputies went to the home to evict Lila Brennan, 60, but what they discovered inside the home on Thursday, July 31, launched an animal cruelty investigation.

"The deputies observed a great deal of fecal and urine matter from animals," Dept. Shannon Volkodav said.

 

She said the most disturbing discovery was made inside the garage where investigators found the carcasses of six cats.

"It looked like the cats had tried to get out," Volkodav said.

This is where the 6 cats were left to die by Lila Brennan

The bottom of the garage door where the cats tore at
it, desperately trying to escape before dying

Gwinnett County Animal Control showed Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh a photo appearing to show evidence the cats scratched and clawed the door, trying to escape.

Deputies arrested the evicted occupant. Brennan is charged with six counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty. She has bonded out of jail.

According to her arrest warrant, deputies believe she locked the cats in the garage without food or water.

Neighbor Gregg Bagley told Kavanaugh he saw deputies and animal control officers swarm the house Thursday afternoon and feared for what they might find.

"Anytime you hear that it just makes you sick in your stomach," Bagley said. "Anytime you see something like that, you just know that there are animals dead or animals hurt, you know there's something really going on."

Deputies said they also discovered three dogs in the back yard that had matted coats but appear otherwise healthy. Investigators said the dogs will be evaluated by a veterinarian at animal control.

 

  

  

 The remains of the cats will undergo a necropsy at the University of Georgia to determine an exact cause of death. The results could impact the charges against Brennan.

 Kavanaugh attempted to track Brennan down for comment Friday, but could not reach her.

(WSBTV - Aug 2, 2013)