Pocono News Section

Pocono Street Goes to the Cats

Pocono Street Goes to the Cats - Friday, May 16, 2008 at 4:33PM EST

Reported by: Laurie Monteforte
Friday, May 16, 2008 @ 04:33pm EST
CHESTNUTHILL TOWNSHIP - One neighborhood in the Poconos has gone to the cats. People who live in the SIerra View Development demand someone cleans up an abandoned house that's over run with cats.

The house on Matterhorn Drive in Chestnuthill Township looks bad, and it smells worse.

Desroy Green lives next door. His neighbor abandoned her house years ago. Now the yard overflows with garbage and cats.

"We move away from the city to come here to have a better life and this is what we come to," he remarked.

WBRE only caught a quick glimpse of a cat or two. It seemed they were trying to stay out of the rain. But neighbors said on sunny days the cats are everywhere.

"In our landscaping out front, the cats use that as their litter box," complained Tamera Manges.

She said she's afraid to let her four little boys play outside because the garbage attracts bugs and the cats might have diseases.

Manges said, "This is not humane for the cats. It's not humane for the people that live here."

Neighbors also worry about thieves and vandals. Desroy has seen kids hanging out next door.

"Because it's abandoned and kids going back and forth we just don't know when we leave here somebody may break into our house too," he said.

Chestnuthill township gave the homeowner until early June to clean up the mess. If she doesn't do it, she'll be fined $500 a day.

Manges said, "If she has money to pay for the fines for this offensive house, pay someone to clean it up."

Desroy and Tamera hope someone cleans it up soon, before the weather warms up and makes things smell even worse.

The homeowners name is Carolyn Grossman. She was not available for comment.