Animal Welfare still rescuing cats after bizarre bus encounter - KOB 4

An Unexpected Rescue Operation Unfolds in Southeast Albuquerque

When Albuquerque Police officers arrived to clear a suspicious vehicle blocking Ross Avenue and Cornell Drive SE on October 27, they expected a routine traffic obstruction. Instead, they uncovered a chaotic scene that ultimately led to the rescue of more than 100 cats living inside a rickety old bus topped with wood, as kob.com reported.

“I’ve never seen that many cats in one place before, so I called 311,” neighbor Tim Thorpe said. “I thought it was odd, but I’ve seen a lot of odd things since I moved to Albuquerque.”

Arrests and Explosions Compound the Crisis

The situation escalated rapidly over a two-day period. Following the initial October 27 response, officers arrested Christopher Hart at the scene after discovering he had four outstanding warrants. When law enforcement and animal control personnel returned the following day to inspect the bus associated with Hart, a garage fire erupted on the property, sending a large black plume of smoke into the air and requiring a swift response from Albuquerque Fire Rescue.

Animal Welfare has their hands busy. After a chaotic two days resulted in more than 100 cats being rescued from a bus, there are still cats being rescued from the property. https://t.co/Fo4bQ5tjnr

— https://x.com/KOB4/status/2116332311189004663

While firefighters battled the flames, animal welfare workers secured the feline population. At least one cat was found dead inside the bus, and workers quickly realized the remaining animals required urgent medical intervention.

Overwhelmed Shelters Face a Massive Medical Undertaking

All surviving cats from the bus have been transferred to the West Side shelter for immediate treatment. According to Animal Welfare Public Information Officer Jeremy Aslaksen, many of the animals are extremely malnourished with visible bones, alongside severe respiratory and eye issues stemming from living conditions filled with filth. At least four kittens are so young they require round-the-clock bottle feeding.

Heart shaped arrangement various animal illustrations surrounds bold text advocating welfare design features cats

Veterinary teams from the Eastside Shelter have stepped in to assist with the overflow. Yet, despite the massive removal effort, the work on the ground is far from over.

Unanswered Questions and Remaining Animals on the Property

Neighbors estimate that roughly 40 additional cats remain loose on the property, many showing similar signs of malnourishment, cuts, and scratches. Animal Welfare officials have confirmed plans to return to the site to rescue the remaining animals, though officials do not yet know who owns the cats.

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“It points to the reasons why we do have things like spay and neuter programs, and keeping street cats and feral cats spayed and neutered, so we don’t have these population increases like this of people that that aren’t taking care of them properly or can’t take care of them,” Aslaksen said.

Authorities continue to investigate the ownership of the cats, while Albuquerque Fire Rescue probes the cause of the garage fire and the police department pursues the investigation into Hart. Code Enforcement has secured the home, and due to the extent of the illness among the rescued animals, community adoptions remain on hold while veterinary teams work to stabilize them.