Cat House Nightmare: Dozens of Cats Rescued from Squalid Fernandina Beach Home, City to Prosecute

By Mike Lednovich/Editor

FERNANDINA BEACH - City officials are moving to prosecute an animal care case after investigators found as many as 20 living cats and two deceased — one described as mummified — inside a feces- and urine-soaked home on North 15th Street.

Records obtained by the Fernandina Observer showed the animals were ultimately removed and turned over to the Nassau Humane Society.

City Attorney Teresa Prince told commissioners April 7 she is preparing a resolution authorizing prosecution tied to conditions documented at 704 N. 15th St., with internal emails showing the city was working under tight statutory deadlines to build its case.

According to a city "Affidavit of Observer " filed by Nassau County animal control officer Elysse Rathbone, a complaint received March 7 led to an inspection where “multiple cats (were) inside of the residence … in unsanitary conditions.”

Rathbone reported that “12 living and one deceased cat were found in a feces and urine-soaked room.”

A second affidavit from animal control officer Reagan Hare documented similar findings, stating “12 living cats and 2 deceased cats (were) found in urine and feces.”

Later inspections revealed additional cats in the residence with a final total of 20 turned over to the Humane Society.

Photographs included in the case file show rooms littered with feces, overturned containers, and animal waste covering floors, along with images of a deceased cat recovered from the property.

Additional records provide a more detailed picture of the conditions officers encountered inside the home. In a March 12 email to city officials, Rathbone described being led to a rear “four seasons room” where approximately 15 cats were housed with “no ventilation, no water, and years worth of feces present.” She reported that “the ammonia was severe enough to burn the officer’s eyes and make it difficult to breathe,” and that feces and urine covered “every surface” of the room.

Outside that room, conditions throughout the home were also described as unsanitary, with feces present on floors and a strong odor of urine and waste.

Further details in the animal control case report describe officers discovering multiple deceased animals inside the home, including one kitten that was “clearly deceased for several months,” effectively mummified, amid the unsanitary conditions. The report notes the remains were found in the same confined space where cats were living among accumulated feces and urine, underscoring the prolonged nature of the neglect documented by investigators.

Photographs included in the case file show cluttered interior spaces, overturned containers, and animal waste covering floors, along with images of the deceased cat recovered from the property.

Emails obtained through public records show that after the city issued its seven-day compliance order, a follow-up inspection on April 9 found conditions had only partially improved.

Rathbone wrote that while “some cleaning” had been done, “there were still three litter boxes with 5-7 days worth of feces” and “the sunroom … was still covered in feces and the smell of ammonia throughout the house was still prevalent.”

She also reported the owner had not obtained required veterinary care, stating he “had financially prioritized cleaning so no veterinary care had been received” and had no appointments scheduled.

According to the email, the situation escalated during the inspection when the owner “became agitated and violent,” prompting officers to call Fernandina Beach police for backup.

The owner identified as Ethan Little ultimately agreed to surrender nearly all animals to the Nassau Humane Society, including “all cats, living, deceased, and unborn,” with the exception of one mother cat.

That cat, named “Power,” was nursing three one-week-old kittens and was later also taken into custody so the kittens could receive care, with a hold placed pending court determination.

Additional animals removed that day included “four adult females and three neonatal kittens,” according to the email.

In a further indication of the animals’ condition, one cat taken from the home was described as dehydrated and required immediate veterinary care, where radiographs revealed “a remaining kitten inside that was causing severe systemic infection.”

During the effort to remove the animals, a fellow officer reported that a co-worker suffered significant injuries while attempting to capture the cats, stating the scratches were “severe” and that the officer required medical attention at the hospital, according to the case report.

Emails between Prince, city staff and animal control officials outline the legal urgency behind the case.

Prince noted that under Florida law, the city must file a petition in county court within 10 business days of issuing the order to correct violations, compressing the timeline for enforcement action.

The emails also show coordination to document service of the notice, including posting it on the door, photographing it, and preparing certified mail after initial attempts to contact the resident went unanswered.

City officials also discussed potential criminal enforcement under multiple state statutes, including animal cruelty and failure to provide sufficient food, water and care.

On April 2, the Fernandina Beach Animal Control Division formally issued a “Notice of Order to Correct Animal Care Violations,” citing that animals were being kept “in conditions that do not meet the minimum standards required under Florida law.”

The order required the owner to provide sanitary living conditions, adequate food and water, veterinary care and vaccinations within seven days or face further enforcement action, including seizure of the animals and additional penalties.

Prince told commissioners she is preparing the customary resolution for the April 21 City Commission meeting that would authorize prosecution of the violations.

If approved, the action would formally initiate legal proceedings against the property owner and determine penalties under state law.