Chatham County Animal Services received a report that dozens of cats and dogs were kept in a small mobile home at 3180 Silk Hope Gum Spring Road and that livestock on the property also lacked proper care.
Deputies served a search warrant on the property, allowing animal control officers to remove the animals pending disposition of the case.
No criminal charges have been filed yet.
Update: Stephane Joostema and her daughter Constance Joostema were charged with animal cruelty.
“I am relieved that we were able to come to the aid of these animals," Leigh Anne Garrard, director of Chatham County Animal Services, said in a statement. "We have tried to work with the owner to ensure the proper care of the animals, but we reached the point that the animals had to be removed for their well-being.”
Officials with the Humane Society of the United States called it the largest animal rescue the organization has worked on this year nationwide, both in the number and the variety of animals.
"This situation has been ongoing for quite some time," said Erica Geppi, the Humane Society's North Carolina director. "Animal neglect is a hard thing to see. It's a very heartbreaking thing to see but an incredibly gratifying day at the end of the day."
Some of the animals were taken to local rescue groups, while others were transported to an emergency shelter, where they will be thoroughly examined by teams of veterinarians and receive any necessary medical treatment, Garrard said. PetSmart Charities is providing the necessary food and supplies for the animals.
The Humane Society, RedRover, Horse Helpers of the High Country, Code 3, the Wake County Animal Shelter, the Animal Control Division of the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, Red Dog Farm Rescue Network and local veterinarians assisted with the rescue and removal of the animals.
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