The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office recently announced a $200,000 donation to the county’s animal control by Stephanie and Terry Strawbridge of Westville, Indiana. The donation was made on behalf of Stephanie’s brother, Dave Ritzer, who died in 2020.
St. Joseph County Animal Control
The Three Rivers Women’s Club formally presented a gift of $300 to St. Joseph County Animal Control (SJCAC) on Wednesday to assist with ongoing efforts to care for an influx of cats. It will also host a cat supply donation table at the Labor Day Bridge Walk, and has helped secure additional donations from a Portage business.
Following the seizure of more than 150 domestic cats from a hoarding situation over the weekend in Park Township, St. Joseph County Animal Control and Park Township officials are struggling to provide proper care for the animals. The number of cats involved is significantly higher than facilities typically handle, and supplies are stretched thin.
As a result of the investigation, over 140 cats ranging from newborn to adult cats were seized from the inside the home. It took officials several hours to capture the animals. Several of the cats appeared to have health issues and will be evaluated by animal control staff and other professionals. It was determined that two of cats needed to be euthanized immediately.
St. Joseph County Sheriff Mark Lillywhite announced the donation of a storage shed to St. Joseph County Animal Control Wednesday.