M.I. woman charged after police find 23 cats in storage unit

The Brevard County Sheriff's Office has taken a 43-year-old Merritt Island woman into custody after they found 23 cats being held in what they call "deplorable conditions" in a Merritt Island self-storage unit.

Amy Lynn Dvorak, 43, of Merritt Island, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty after an investigation found the cats in the unit at 115 Amsdell Road without food or proper air conditioning or ventilation. Feces and urine covered the unit.

"The Brevard County Sheriff's Office Animal Care Centers and other local rescue partners work closely with our citizens to promote and encourage proper care for pets in our community," said Sheriff Wayne Ivey in a release.

"With the many resources available in our area, there is no legitimate excuse for the hoarding of pets or maltreatment of animals that puts them at risk of suffering or death," Ivey added. "In this particular case, there was no air conditioning, ventilation or food for these helpless animals and that is 100 percent unacceptable to me, our team, and the community we serve."

Dvorak is being held at the Brevard County Jail on $57,500 bond.