Woman who trapped 23 cats in a wheelie bin given ten year ban

Sharon Claire Price (DOB: 30.03.1973), of West Street, Epsom, placed the cats inside the bin and secured the lid with a disused microwave, leaving them terrified and crushed together, with no food or water. 

The vet said the cats at the bottom of the pile were "slowly crushed and suffocated", and their bodies were left soaked by urine dripping down from cats placed higher up.

During sentencing at Kingston Crown Court last week (5 March), she was given a four-month prison sentence suspended for two years, ordered to complete 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days and disqualified from keeping cats and dogs for a decade. She was also ordered to pay £1000 costs. This followed an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA. 

The cats were discovered by local housing association staff, and were collected by Cats Protection charity workers and taken to a vet. Eight had died and the remaining 15 were standing on their bodies, severely dehydrated, underweight, and covered in fleas. Inside, they had been in complete darkness, with high temperatures inside the bin, and there was a strong smell of ammonia. 

A witness vet said, "All of the 23 cats suffered immensely. The deceased cats at the bottom of the pile were slowly crushed and suffocated by the weight pressing down on them, and suffered the worst from the effects of the urine of the cats dripping down to the bottom of the bin, soaking their skin and burning their airways. 

"Those trapped underneath were unable to move, and the ones higher were tangled in a metal grid with no way to escape.  They had no option but to stand or lie on the dead bodies of other cats below them. 

"They all would have experienced extreme fear and physical pain without any way of being able to achieve even temporary relief from their conditions."

Price had claimed she had found the cats in nearby woodland and said she had been advised by another animal charity to place them in a bin and secure the lid when she was moving out of a property on Whitmores Close, Epsom, between 21 and 24 July 2024. 

However, an RSPCA investigation found that staff had advised her to contact the RSPCA directly - which she had failed to do. The 15 surviving cats were placed in the care of the RSPCA and Cats Protection. 

In mitigation, the court was told the defendant had mental and physical health issues and that she helps care for two daughters with mental health issues. 

RSPCA Inspector Liz Wheeler, who led the investigation, said: "People will be absolutely shocked to think of what these poor 23 cats went through trapped in this wheelie bin.

"Price claimed she had found the cats in woodland the previous day and had been advised to place them in a bin. Our enquiries did not support that account.

"It was clear the cats had been suffering for some time due to their poor body condition and heavy flea infestations. Placing them in a bin on a hot day and trapping them inside caused significant and unnecessary suffering."