Overview

• A June 29 welfare check in Santa Nella led deputies to find 134 cats—106 emaciated and 28 dead—crammed into a U-Haul parked at a Taco Bell with no food or water
• Owner Jeannie Maxon, 69, of Long Beach, was arrested on 93 counts of animal cruelty and remains in custody pending trial
• Merced County Animal Services and Atwater Veterinary Center are treating the 106 surviving felines under a court-ordered seizure hold
• The sheriff’s office investigation continues as deputies issue new warnings about the rapid dangers of leaving pets in hot vehicles
• Recovered cats range from one week to eight years old and will be released for adoption once they receive medical clearance