Pet Rescuer Gets Jail for Starving Cats in Miami Apartment

Pet Rescuer Gets Jail for Starving Cats in Miami Apartment
Cheryn Smilen, left, stands at the courtroom podium in Miami with defense lawyer Gabriela Centofanti as she pleads guilty to animal cruelty, in Miami, Fla., on July 19, 2021. David Ovalle/Miami Herald via AP
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MIAMI—A self-styled pet rescuer has been sentenced to 364 days in jail for animal cruelty after hoarding cats and allowing them to starve inside her apartment in South Florida.

Cheryn Smilen, 56, pleaded guilty and will now be banned from owning or trying to rescue animals, the Miami Herald reported.