Coon Rapids Woman Charged After Authorities Find 79 Neglected Cats in Garage
A Coon Rapids woman is facing five charges after authorities uncovered dozens of neglected animals at her home earlier this year.
Deann Marie Jensen, 59, is charged with four felony counts of mistreating animals and one gross misdemeanor for the alleged abuse and neglect of cats in her care.
Authorities say they first received complaints in Oct. 2022 about sick kittens being sold from Jensen's residence. Law enforcement made contact with Jensen, who claimed she ran a "rescue" called "Scratching Post Number 9" and had 15 cats in her care at the time. She admitted to giving the animals vaccinations she bought online rather than seeking veterinary care.
> See more of our latest coverage
A community service officer was allowed to enter the garage with Jensen’s consent, where they observed several kennels lined up along the garage wall containing cats and kittens. When officers returned in Feb. 2023, Jensen did not allow officers to enter the garage to observe the animals.
In March 2024, a report came in from a person who bought two kittens from Jensen, both of whom were so ill they had to be euthanized shortly after being purchased.
On April 11, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Jensen's home. Inside the garage, authorities found 79 cats and one deceased kitten. The animals were housed in wire kennels, with multiple cats confined to each. Although they had access to food and water, the overwhelming odor of ammonia forced officers and Humane Society staff to take frequent breaks from the scene, even while wearing protective masks. The garage had no ventilation, court documents say.
Investigators found a mother cat and her three kittens in particularly dire condition. The kittens were covered in dried feces and the mother was lethargic. All four animals were diagnosed with feline panleukopenia virus and were later euthanized. Additionally, 25 kittens displayed signs of ringworm and all the kittens found were underweight.
One of the cats seized during the raid was “Jack,” a cat with only one healthy eye. Reports from March 2023 indicated that someone was interested in purchasing Jack, but Jensen intended to breed him. The potential buyer was concerned because the kitten’s eye was weeping at the time and he appeared to need veterinary care. By the time of the search warrant, Jack’s infected eye had ruptured. Veterinarians confirmed that his condition would have been extremely painful and could have been prevented with proper medical care.
Jensen’s five personal cats, housed separately inside her residence, were found in good health.
If convicted on the felony charges, Jensen faces up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
> See more of our latest coverage
