At least one cat died and 15 other cats and dogs are being cared for by a Westmoreland County shelter after authorities discovered all 16 animals locked inside two vehicles in an O’Hara Township parking lot, Trib news partner WPXI-TV reports.
A hotel employee alerted authorities Monday night after overhearing two guests talking about caring for their animals outside, according to WPXI. The employee told police they believed the vehicles belonged to two female hotel guests traveling from Florida.
Police found the beleaguered animals — 14 cats and two dogs — crammed into cages within a cargo van and an SUV parked at the Comfort Inn & Suites on Gamma Drive amid below-freezing weather conditions.
Temperatures dropped below 15 degrees in the region Monday night, with a wind chill closer to 5 or 6 degrees.
Today at Noon–hotel employees take action and call police when two of their guests leave a van and SUV with 16 dogs and cats outside in the parking lot with no heat. And we have now learned one cat has died. pic.twitter.com/fIwM4k3hLh
— Lori Houy (@WPXI_Lori) March 5, 2019
After police arrived, one of the hotel guests surrendered the cats and dogs to police, who arranged for the animals to be taken to Hoffman Boarding Kennels in Salem Township, WPXI reports.
Soon after, one of the cats died, shelter workers told WPXI. Several of the animals are in bad health.
The kennel is seeking help from other animal shelters in the region.
Police could not immediately be reached for more information.
