ROANOKE, Va. – The owner and director of Nomadic Paws Kitten Rescue are facing felony animal neglect charges after police discovered dozens of cats living in poor conditions inside a private residence. The scene on the 1400 block of Peters Creek Road Northwest revealed 47 cats, two of which were found dead, and seven were sent to an emergency veterinarian.
Animal Warden McKenna Beaman described the situation: “So we could smell it once we got to the front porch and it was… powerful… the longer we were there we were opening doors constantly in and out it started kind of permeating the area to the surrounding land.”
The smell originated from the home housing Nomadic Paws Kitten Rescue, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit recognized by the IRS. The owner, Kayla Campbell, and director, Ian Yaeger, have been charged with two counts of felony animal neglect.
Lt. Drake explained, “We got a tip from one of our professional organizations actually not in Roanoke concerned about the health and safety of the cats.”
When investigators arrived for a welfare check, the owners refused entry. However, a 20-minute video posted on the rescue’s social media shortly after provided the public and police with a look inside, serving as evidence for the investigation.
Lieutenant William Drake of the Roanoke Police Department stated, “Our team spent a lot of time going through that video and recognized that yes there were some special needs cats but there were also a lot of cats that were in need of medical attention.”
The video helped police secure a search warrant, leading to the rescue and removal of the cats. This isn’t the first time Nomadic Paws Kitten Rescue has made headlines. On New Year’s Eve, a home tied to the rescue caught fire in Vinton.
Currently, 38 cats have been taken to Angels of Assisi, with six more on the way. One cat remains in emergency care. Both Yaeger and Campbell are set to appear in court on May 6 at 2 p.m.