Janice Lawniczak, county humane officer, prepares to complete the forensic work in a case in Winfield Township where 21 cats were left to die on a rural property on Bear Creek Road. Lawniczak examined the skeletal remains to get an accurate count of the number of cats that were involved. Tamara Rusz, no known address, faces 21 felony counts in the case.

A woman accused of leaving 21 cats in carriers and bins to starve and die in Winfield Township is facing 21 felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty causing serious bodily injury or death.

Janice Lawniczak, the county's humane police officer, said Tamara Rusz left the animals to die on the rural Bear Creek Road property of her mother, Marilyn King.

Lawniczak said a neighbor on whose property Rusz is also accused of leaving six other cats to die in November contacted her earlier this month to report a huge pile of pet carriers and plastic bins on the King property next door.

Upon investigating the scene, Lawniczak discovered mainly skeletal remains in the carriers, bins and garbage bags containing bins.

To get an accurate count of the dead cats, Lawniczak had to closely examine all the remains. She said most were only bones, but some fur remained on some of the cats.

“It's the worst thing I've ever (seen),” said Lawniczak, whose position as humane officer is volunteer.

She said District Judge Sue Haggerty has issued a bench warrant for Rusz, who has no known address.

On the day Lawniczak discovered the 21 dead cats, Rusz failed to show up for a preliminary hearing at Haggerty's office in Saxonburg for misdemeanor charges in the death of the six cats in November.

Lawniczak said that at the time she hoped District Attorney Rich Goldinger would agree to felony charges in the most recent incident, which he did.

“Animal abuse will not be tolerated in Butler County, and those who do so will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Goldinger said Tuesday.

Also charged in the November incident was Kevin Delehanty of Cranberry Township, who allegedly gave Lawniczak a statement admitting that he and Rusz had left the six cats on the neighboring property.

He waived his case to court.

Delehanty was not charged in the most recent incident.

“I have no evidence that he was there for this one,” Lawniczak said.

The neighbor who alerted Lawniczak to both of the incidents said Rusz camped in a tent at King's property on occasion and was always seen with multiple cats.

Lawniczak said some of the bins and carriers had hearts and sentiments — such as “We love you” — written on the outside.

Toys were found in the carriers with the six dead cats in November, and the lone cat found alive had eaten the other cat in its carrier.

Lawniczak is glad Rusz is facing felonies in the most recent case.

“She put live cats there and left them to die and their deaths were, I'm sure, quite horrible,” she said. “She knowingly and willingly put those cats there.”

Anyone who sees or knows the whereabouts of Tamara Rusz, whose last known address was a post office box in Mars, should call 911, Lawniczak said.