Tacoma woman faces 11 animal cruelty charges after 73 neglected cats found in U-Haul truck
Nov 11, 2025, 1:55 PM
Tacoma Police Department insignia on a police vehicle. (Photo courtesy of the Tacoma Police Department)
(Photo courtesy of the Tacoma Police Department)
A Tacoma woman is behind bars after she was charged with 10 counts of animal cruelty. Her arrest followed a call received by the Tacoma Police Department (TPD) and Animal Control on Friday for an animal welfare check at the Motel 6 on S. 76th Street.
When officers arrived, they found the suspect, 39-year-old Naomi Harrison, and 73 cats inside her U-Haul, some as young as one day old. Ten of the cats were dead. Animal Control reported that the cats were stepping on each other.
“She has been charged with 10 counts of animal cruelty in the first degree,” Adam Faber with the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office said. “Those allegations stem directly from the ten deceased cats that Animal Control seized.”
Animal Control also found cats barely a day old inside Harrison’s motel room. Agents found the room and the U-Haul in extremely unsanitary conditions, both with an overwhelming stench of urine, and some of the cats were clearly starving. TPD noted that there was no food or water for the cats inside the truck
Cases like these are unfortunately all too common, according to Faber.
“People breeding puppies for sale, and maybe the conditions aren’t so good,” Faber said. “Other times, we see mental health components where people are hoarding animals.”
Prosecutors alleged that Harrison subjected the animals to starvation, dehydration, or exposure to extreme conditions on or about Nov. 7.
Harrison exited the motel and identified herself as the current owner of the truck. She was later detained at the scene and booked into the Pierce County Corrections Jail. Notably, her 15-year-old son was inside the motel with a dog, two turtles, and two kittens.
All surviving cats were transported to the Tacoma Humane Society for treatment, with several animals requiring emergency care.
First-degree animal cruelty charges can result in up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, and permanent prohibition of owning animals.
“The standard range for one count of animal cruelty can range anywhere from two months to 60 months, depending on someone’s offender score,” Faber said.
Bail has been set at $30,000.
Contributing: Jason Sutich, MyNorthwest
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