23 cats, a parrot and dog taken from two-bedroom Santa Ana home

Responding to a complaint of a pungent smell, animal control officials went to a central Santa Ana home early Tuesday and found 23 cats, an African parrot and a small brown dog living in a single bedroom.

Officials arrived at the two-bedroom home in the 1500 block of West Sixth Street about 9 a.m., said Cpl. Anthony Bertagna with the Santa Ana Police Department. 

The smell of ammonia was so strong that a Hazmat team was summoned to assist.

In one of the bedrooms, officials found the animals, which are now in the care of the county animal control.

“The feces and urine is caked in that room,” Bertagna said.

Officials said also learned that in addition to the animals, 10 people resided in the home, eight of them  children.

Bertagna said child protective services has been called to investigate.

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-- Nicole Santa Cruz

 Photo: Some of the cats found in bedroom of Santa Ana house. Credit: Santa Ana Police Department