UPDATED 6:06 P.M.
PEORIA, Ill. – Three men accused of animal abuse were not detained after their arrest.
The Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office says prosecutors only have 48 hours after an arrest to make a charging decision and request a petition to detain.
Prosecutors say the three men; 55-year-old Paul Lambert, 48-year-old John Lambert, and 54-year-old Adrian Cervantez, had more than 30 cats removed from their East Bluff home on Wednesday.
Some of the cats were deceased.
The state’s attorney’s office says they were unable to make a charging decision based on evidence at the time, with no information on how the cats died or if they were mistreated.
Prosecutors say while the house was described as having filthy living conditions, humans were also living in it.
The state’s attorney’s office says it’s still reviewing the case
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PEORIA, Ill. – Three Peoria men are facing aggravated animal cruelty charges after dozens of cats were taken from their home.
54-year-old Adrian Cervantez, 55-year-old Paul Lambert, and 48-year-old John Lambert were arrested earlier this week, after neighbors reported suspicious activity at their home in the area of N. Peoria and Nebraska Avenues.
Neighbors complained about a strong smell of feces and other odors. A 25 News crew could smell a strong odor from about 30 feet away.
One neighbor, Donald Gordon, said the property manager contacted animal control, which entered the home wearing hazmat suits and picked up dozens of cats.
“They began with carriers just bringing cats out. I asked them this morning; apparently, they carried out around 31 cats. That doesn’t include kittens,” Gordon said.
There were reportedly about 50 live and dead cats in the home, not including unborn kittens.
Peoria Police and Peoria County Animal Control are not commenting, because they say the case is still under investigation.
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