COON RAPIDS, Minn. — Matt Lennander makes his living fixing up flipped houses. Over five years of bringing new life to properties left in shambles, he thought he had pretty much seen it all.
That is, until he got a call Friday from a house cleaner who had entered a foreclosed home in Coon Rapids. Lennander said the cleaner told him there were a number of cats that had been left behind when the owners vacated and didn't know what to do. Lennander dropped what he was doing, drove over and opened the door.
"I was just bewildered," he recalled. "Overwhelmed by the smell. It was pretty shocking."
Overwhelmed is understandable when you see the pictures and video the handyman-remodeler shared with KARE 11. Dozens of cats were living in deplorable conditions with no food, water or useable litter boxes. Some had open sores, others appeared to be missing eyes. At least nine were already dead.
Not sure where to start in addressing the situation, Lennander called police and then left a post on his Facebook account appealing for help. He soon heard from a handful of rescue organizations and big-hearted individuals who stepped up to gather cooperative cats, trap the ones that weren't, and take them to a safe, clean place for food and medical care.
"I love animals and I couldn't see them live in this kind of filth. It was so sad and it just breaks your heart," Lennander said.
As of Monday, Lennander said nearly 80 cats had been rescued from the property. Coon Rapids Animal Control took five or six of the animals to a facility for urgent medical care, while the others are being housed by rescue organizations and individuals with experience in animal care. They will be shuttled in over the next few weeks for vaccinations and to be spayed or neutered.
"It just was heartbreaking, and overwhelming, and smelly all at the same time. I just knew that I made the right decision to be there," said Sonja Larson, the founder of the cat rescue SNAP'T.
Larson took 50 of the cats. They are staying in Kris Scherer's heated garage in Blaine. Scherer has 16 years of experience fostering cats. But SNAP'T needs volunteers to foster after the cats are medically and behaviorally assessed. Anyone willing to help can reach out to Larson through the SNAP'T website.
"These cats are like the heroes of this story," Larson said. "They've endured what they've endured and they are ready to, within the next probably month, two months, find loving homes."
Matt Lennander also reached out to a few friends for help, including real estate agent Buddy Becker and former Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer. They are both personally making contributions and trying to raise money for vet care. Kramer posted on his X (Twitter) account that anyone who donates at least $100 can reach out to him on social media and receive an autographed jersey.
If you would like to contribute to the effort, Lennander set up a fund to care for the cats and help them find forever homes. As of Tuesday morning donations had nearly reached $23,000.
Coon Rapids Deputy Police Chief Adam Jacobson confirms that an investigator has been assigned to the case and is working with the Animal Humane Society’s investigative branch on the matter.
Jacobson emphasizes that it is early in the investigation but says criminal charges against the former homeowners are “an absolute possibility.”
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