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JOHNSTOWN - City police said they found two children living in animal waste, filth and garbage in an apartment with at least 22 cats during a welfare check on Wednesday.
The children, both under the age of 14 years old, also had minimal access to food and were stuck in conditions that prevented them from "adequately bathing or maintaining personal hygiene" in the Water Street unit, according to Johnstown police.
Authorities discovered at least one mixed breed dog and nearly two dozen cats in the residence. But police aren't sure if that is the final count, as cats could be hiding elsewhere within heaps of trash. Investigators believe that the large number of animals, in part, led to poor living conditions.
The home has been deemed uninhabitable by city code enforcement officials.
Both children have since been removed from the premises and placed with what police said are "trusted persons."
According to Johnstown police, the children's parents told authorities that they were too poor to put the children in school. No home schooling documentation had allegedly been filed for them since 2024.
Both the 38-year-old father and 34-year-old mother were arrested by Johnstown police and, as of Wednesday afternoon, remained in custody.
They were charged with six counts of endangering the welfare of a child and 22 counts of violating Agriculture and Markets Law, all misdemeanors. The latter charges related to the condition of the animals, which remained at the residence.
Johnstown police said in a news release that they reached out to several animal welfare organizations and shelter groups but so far haven't been able to find an organization that can accommodate that number of animals.
"Organizations capable of aiding, or community members with verified contacts for qualified organizations, are asked to contact the Johnstown Police Department directly," police wrote in the release. "Members of the public should not enter the property or attempt to remove any animals themselves."
Johnstown police Chief David Gilbo was unavailable for further comment on Wednesday.
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