HALES CORNERS, Wis. — A trustee for the Village of Hales Corners recently resigned after investigators found 87 cats inside her home, according to police and the village administrator. All of the cats died.
Linda Bergan resigned her role as trustee on Nov. 13 in a letter sent to the village board.
Two days later, Bergan was cited with animal neglect and failing to provide proper shelter for animals.
In her letter sent to the village board, Bergan said she was resigning "due to the circumstances that have arisen."
"I have enjoyed serving with you and providing for the needs of our residents and wish you all the best for continued success in the future, but I must resign my position as I feel it is in the best interests for myself, my family and the Village residents if I step away from my role at this time," Bergan wrote.
A spokesperson for the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC) says the cats were all sick with the highly contagious feline parvovirus, called Panleukopenia.
Kate Hartland with MADACC said the illness is, “Very fast acting a lot of the cats had really bad upper respiratory infections.”
On Monday, TMJ4 saw all of the windows open, workers in head-to-toe hazmat suits ripping up the inside of the home on Mallory Avenue.
It took a neighbor going to the health department about the smell of urine coming from the home, for something to be done.
Records from 2022 show the house is owned by Bergan. Hales Corners Police cited Bergan for Animal Neglect, Not Properly Providing Shelter To Animals, and Not Properly Maintaining The Home.
Dogs and hedgehogs were also found in the home. It is not known where they were taken, or the condition they were in.
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