Rhonda Goss says she's just always been a cat person. She's collected all her pets by rescuing them or taking them in when friends had to find new homes for them.
She and her fiance live in Manheim Township where there is an ordinance there that a household can only have five grown cats or dogs. The couple says they didn't know that, and they have no way of finding homes for so many cats in just a few weeks.
When you walk in, cats are all you see and hear in the home of Rhonda goss and her fiance Tom Groff.
All 44 cats have plenty of room to play. They have their own bedroom, and access to their own screened in deck.
"We built like walls and stuff for them to sit on and they all like their own little space." Goss said.
They had a sheltered life here, until last month when Township officials told the couple they were violating an ordinance that only allows 5 pets per home. They were told they had to get rid of 39 of them by December 21, or face fines of up to $500 a day.
The financial threat worries them, but not as much as how to find new, safe homes for them. "I mean how do you decide to keep only 5, and How do you get rid of 39? In 30 days? I mean it's pretty unrealistic. We sat that night and were talking about it and it's like how do we decide? And it's like we can't decide, I mean we love them all equally?
What complicates the issue, they say, is that shelters they've contacted aren't taking in cats right now. "I guess they expect us to put them to sleep and that's not going to happen. They are my family, my kitty kids."
"I understand what they're trying to say. It's opening the door for everybody to do this. But nobody else is going to do this. Its a lot of work, it's a lot of main, it's a lot of money."
They hope ultimately the township will bend the rules so their cats can continue to rule their home. "It's impossible, have a heart, have a heart. Come visit, come see me, and give us an option."
We did reach out to the Township and the Zoning Officer said, "The rule is, a resident can maintain 5 pets. Ms. Goss could petition the zoning board for a variance. She has not done that. Even if she had, Douglas said, it's unlikely she would be granted a variance because 40 cats is so far over the allotted number. The ordinance is in place to protect the health, safety and welfare of township residents."
She and her fiance live in Manheim Township where there is an ordinance there that a household can only have five grown cats or dogs. The couple says they didn't know that, and they have no way of finding homes for so many cats in just a few weeks.
When you walk in, cats are all you see and hear in the home of Rhonda goss and her fiance Tom Groff.
All 44 cats have plenty of room to play. They have their own bedroom, and access to their own screened in deck.
"We built like walls and stuff for them to sit on and they all like their own little space." Goss said.
They had a sheltered life here, until last month when Township officials told the couple they were violating an ordinance that only allows 5 pets per home. They were told they had to get rid of 39 of them by December 21, or face fines of up to $500 a day.
The financial threat worries them, but not as much as how to find new, safe homes for them. "I mean how do you decide to keep only 5, and How do you get rid of 39? In 30 days? I mean it's pretty unrealistic. We sat that night and were talking about it and it's like how do we decide? And it's like we can't decide, I mean we love them all equally?
What complicates the issue, they say, is that shelters they've contacted aren't taking in cats right now. "I guess they expect us to put them to sleep and that's not going to happen. They are my family, my kitty kids."
"I understand what they're trying to say. It's opening the door for everybody to do this. But nobody else is going to do this. Its a lot of work, it's a lot of main, it's a lot of money."
They hope ultimately the township will bend the rules so their cats can continue to rule their home. "It's impossible, have a heart, have a heart. Come visit, come see me, and give us an option."
We did reach out to the Township and the Zoning Officer said, "The rule is, a resident can maintain 5 pets. Ms. Goss could petition the zoning board for a variance. She has not done that. Even if she had, Douglas said, it's unlikely she would be granted a variance because 40 cats is so far over the allotted number. The ordinance is in place to protect the health, safety and welfare of township residents."