More than 100 cats pulled from bus in Albuquerque as crews battle garage fire
Neighbors estimate about 40 cats remain on the property while Animal Welfare continues treatment and investigations proceed.
By Anthony Foster ·
More than 100 cats have been rescued from a bus in Southeast Albuquerque over two days, a sequence of events that also included an arrest and a garage fire. Albuquerque Fire Rescue extinguished the blaze while police and animal control officers removed the animals from the vehicle.
Albuquerque Police first responded Oct. 27 to reports of a suspicious vehicle blocking the intersection of Ross Avenue and Cornell Drive SE, where officers arrested Christopher Hart on four outstanding warrants. Officers returned the next day to check on the bus associated with Hart, and a fire broke out around the time they noticed the cats. "All of a sudden, the house, or what looked like the house, blew up. A big black plume of smoke was in the air," neighbor Tim Thorpe said.
Animal Welfare Public Information Officer Jeremy Aslaksen said the cats recovered from the bus are at the West Side shelter undergoing treatment. Many are malnourished and suffering from respiratory and eye problems. "A lot of the cats had respiratory issues and eye issues," Aslaksen said. He attributed the breathing problems to the conditions inside the vehicle, saying the cats were living in filth.
One cat found in the bus was dead. Four others are young enough to require round-the-clock care, including bottle feeding, until they reach a target weight. Vet teams from the Eastside Shelter are assisting with the animals, and some may eventually be transferred there.
Two days after the initial response, Animal Welfare has not established how many cats were recovered. Neighbors estimate roughly 40 cats remain on the property, some showing visible bones, cuts, and scratches. Aslaksen confirmed crews are still finding animals and said Animal Welfare plans to return to collect the rest.
Ownership of the cats is under investigation, and it remains unclear whether Hart is connected to the home or the fire. Albuquerque Fire Rescue is investigating the cause of the blaze, police are handling the Hart case, and Code Enforcement has secured the home. The cats cannot be adopted until their health issues are resolved.
