Five cats were recently rescued from a Plymouth, Wisconsin apartment after police found them living in filth. The Sheboygan County District Attorney’s Office now has the power to make sure this case is taken seriously, and it should pursue all 25 animal neglect charges in full.

When officers entered the Appleton Street apartment, animal waste covered the home, and fleas and other bugs had taken over. The air was so unsafe that officers needed full-body protective suits and their own breathing tanks just to step inside. Those five cats were living in it.

A 33-year-old resident was arrested on 25 counts connected to the five cats, according to WFRV. For each cat, the counts cover mistreatment and failing to provide food, water, fresh air and clean living space. All five cats are now in the care of the Humane Society, where they are getting treatment.

“Animals depend on their owners and caregivers to provide necessities, including adequate food, water, ventilation, and sanitary living conditions,” the Plymouth Police Department said in a press release.

Each of these charges stands for a basic need that a helpless animal went without. Pursuing every count sends a clear message across Sheboygan County: pets are not disposable, and anyone who brings an animal home takes on a real responsibility to keep it fed, clean and safe.

The five cats rescued from that apartment cannot speak for themselves. Sign the petition to urge the Sheboygan County District Attorney’s Office to pursue every charge before this case moves forward.