The Licking County Humane Society calls it one of the cruelest cases it has ever seen. Twenty-three cats, including nine newborn kittens, were abandoned in a run-down trailer.

What makes this case even worse, is that mother and daughter charged run a non-profit called, Pittie Paw Rescue.

Joyce Meisenhelder, and her daughter Kristin Beaupry, are both charged with one count of animal abandonment and 22 counts of animal cruelty. They will be arraigned August 31.

Lori Carlson, Director of Licking County Humane Society, told NBC 4 Investigator Tom Sussi that conditions of the trailer were deplorable.

“The trailer was filthy and filled with feces,” she said. “There was not edible food or water to drink.”

Carlson said two cats were found dead. Another dozen cats plus nine kittens were in bad shape.

“They were very flea infested, had open sores and scabs from the fleas, hair loss, eye infections, tape worms and were malnourished,” Carlson said.

Carlson said the family lived in a house next to the trailer but was evicted sometime in July. She said they left the cats and kittens behind, and moved several dogs to a compound in Knox County. Sussi said that place, too, looked run-down.