Cat Hoarding Frenzy in Southern NM

All the cat lovers in Las Cruces losing control and coming out of the woodwork:

Marilyn Davis, who was charged with animal hoarding after 73 cats died as a result of a fire at her Las Cruces home earlier this month, is facing new charges after officers found 21 more cats at her downtown office on Wednesday, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported.

"I just want people to know that not all people who own large amounts of animals are crazy," said Davis, who told the Sun-News that some people with lots of animals spend lots of time and money taking care of them.

...The fire in Davis' van was the first of a series of animal-hoarding cases in the Las Cruces area that surfaced over a four-day period.

On May 15, 129 cats were taken from a Mesilla Park home, and while one died on the way to the Humane Society all the others were euthanized when it was found they suffered from a variety of ailments, including leukemia and AIDS, the Sun-News said.

Gina Gentile, 40, a Mesilla town employee, was arrested when she tried to sneak one of the cats away from her home in a suitcase during a welfare check at her home, the paper reported.

Then on May 16, another 34 cats were found alive and 16 dead at the Las Cruces home of 72-year-old Betty McArthur, who has not been charged in that case.