More than 50 cats found in filthy Hollywood home now up for adoption

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Some of the cats rescued from a hoarding nightmare in Hollywood are now up for adoption. Units were mobilized last week to remove animals from the home and are being cared for at the Broward County Animal Center.

Patricia Vestweber has been charged with animal abuse and neglect after police found approximately 51 cats and a dog living inside a home along North 68th Avenue in deplorable conditions.

This is not the first animal hoarding problem for the 51-year-old. She had run-ins with the law for the same issue before. In 2017, she was cited for hoarding cats at a different Hollywood home.

She failed to appear in May of that year for her hearing.

Things were cleaned up, but not for long. According to current neighbors, the home has been a hoarding health hazard for some time.

Local 10 News stopped by on Thursday and attempted to speak with Vestweber a few times.

She didn’t want to talk but was seen removing animal crates from the house.

“These cats have to leave because they are dying. If they had stayed another month or so, they would not have survived,” said Jonathan Garcia, who received a call from Vestweber. Garcia is from Black Heart Trappers Transport & Rescue.

Four people lived in the home including another adult, his two adult children, and Vestweber who has been charged with a misdemeanor.

So far, 13 of the 52 pets have been put up for adoption.

See the animals in the listings at Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Center.


About the Author:

Alex Finnie joined the Local 10 News team in May 2018. South Florida is home! She was raised in Miami and attended the Cushman School and New World School of the Arts for high school.