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"Cat Lady" Allowed To Keep Dead Cats

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Dec 6, 2007 1:57 pm US/Eastern

"Cat Lady" Allowed To Keep Dead Cats

BOSTON (WBZ) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: Heidi Erickson
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The state's highest court says a woman who stored dozens of dead cats in her apartment can keep two seized by the city -- as long as she complies with city health codes.

Cat breeder Heidi Erickson was charged with animal cruelty after officials found five malnourished cats, one malnourished dog and more than 60 dead cats in her Beacon Hill apartment in 2003. Most of the dead cats were stored in freezers, but some were wrapped in plastic and left in bedrooms.

The city of Boston fought an order to return two of her dead cats after Erickson was convicted in 2005.

When a single justice of the state Supreme Judicial Court ruled she could have them back if she made arraignments for their proper disposal, Erickson appealed, arguing the order interfered with her property rights.

In a ruling Thursday, the full court said the single justice's order does not require Erickson to destroy or discard the animals, but says that whatever she does with them -- including keeping them -- must comply with health codes.

It was unclear what Erickson plans to do with the dead animals. Her attorney did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

"We would say that there is no way to keep a dead animal on your property and abide by health codes," said Jake Wark, a spokesman for District Attorney Daniel Conley, whose office prosecuted Erickson for the animal cruelty charges.

Back in 2003, Erickson said she was saving the dead cats to use their DNA in breeding.