A Michigan nurse was arraigned on charges of animal cruelty Monday after authorities removed over 100 cats, 73 of which were dead, from her home.

Emily Karolski, 41, faces charges of animal cruelty to 25 or more animals and animal burial, according to court documents cited by The Detroit News. Fox 2 Detroit described Karolski as “a nurse practitioner who cares for newborns and noted that her house is located in Dryden Township, north of Detroit.

Township police responded to a package delivery driver’s report of a stench emerging from the house, according to Lapeer County Prosecutor John D. Miller, the Detroit News reported. The driver claimed that the odor, which he could smell 150 feet away from the building, made him think someone had died inside. (RELATED: Authorities Uncover Grisly Dog Graveyard At California ‘No-Kill’ Rescue)

Officers initiated a welfare check and discovered approximately a dozen dead cats on a kitchen counter as they peered through a window. After police discovered she was not home, firefighters arrived at the scene to help them enter the home, the county prosecutor reported.

INSANE story out of Michigan

Emily Karolski, a @CorewellHealth nurse, was arrested after authorities discovered nearly 80 DEAD CATS inside her home, as well as dozens of still-living cats.

First responders reportedly began throwing up from the smell when they initially… pic.twitter.com/QeHAqzvlg2

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 7, 2026

When first responders got into the house, they became dizzy and developed headaches because of the stench, causing them to leave the building immediately. They successfully reentered the home after putting on respirators.

Animal control officers spent three days in the home saving 28 living cats and removing the bodies of 73 dead cats, according to Lansing WILX-TV and the Detroit News.

Officers reported that three cats have feline leukemia, a terminal and very contagious illness. Most of the living cats have respiratory issues, and many have been sent to rescue centers throughout Michigan.

Miller said prior to the arraignment that the county did not have any reason to recommend that Karolski receive mental health treatment.

“She was conscientious of the situation and acknowledged the situation, as dire as it was. Beyond that, we don’t have anything to speculate on further. There was really no basis for a mental health petition to be filed,” Miller said, according to Fox 2 Detroit.

The judge extended a $2,500 bond to Karolski and arranged her next court hearing for July 17. Karolski could receive a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and a $10,000 fine, along with a minimum of five years of probation, for the felony charge of animal cruelty, Lansing WILX-TV said.