JEANNETTE, Pa. -- A Jeannette man is accused of abandoning 38 cats in a house after he and his wife separated.

Westmoreland County Humane Society officials said Richard Burch, of Jeannette, left the cats in a house in the 100 block of North Fourth Street.

Officials said five of the cats were dead when they arrived. The rest of the cats are being treated by the Humane Society.

Animal workers told Channel 11 that the cats were living in terrible conditions.

"There was absolutely no food, no water for them. There were maybe three litterboxes in the house but they were so overflowed that the cats were just going everywhere," said Jan Dillon of the Humane Society.

Jeannette police said Burch is facing animal cruelty charges.