Residents of a high-rise building in Aktau are demanding that an apartment be opened where they believe cat carcasses are located. They complain about a foul odor, reports infohub.kz.
The owner of the smelly dwelling has not been seen by neighbors for several months. According to locals, about 13 years ago, cats and street trash began appearing in the apartment. At first, the smell was mild, but since 2021, entering and exiting the stairwell has become unbearable. The owner refused to communicate, so residents turned to special services.
Ramazan Kayupov, a representative of the OSI (Association of Property Owners), said he was shocked by what he saw then. "We opened the door at that time too; I don't remember exactly, but she accidentally opened it, and we went in. We saw she had dead cats, about 4 or 5, and there were many mangy, sick cats. She lived with them. It was impossible to step on the floor. There was a dining table in one room with a pillow on it. Apparently she slept on the table because there was no space on the floor—it was dirty, full of cat feces, and when the guys entered, I saw white worms," he recalled. At that time, three dump trucks of belongings and dead pets were removed from the apartment. The home and adjacent area were treated by sanitation services.
Now, five years later, the situation has repeated. Residents claim the apartment owner hasn't lived there for a long time—she was last seen in February. Neighbors suspect the animals died of starvation. Following residents' complaints, emergency services opened the apartment again. They reported a smell of decomposition. Residents thought a woman might have died inside, but police found only dead animals and sealed the apartment.
"We breathe this smell. I have small children who, when they go into the bathroom, shout, 'Mom, what smells in here?'" neighbors complain. People have filed complaints with all agencies, from emergency services to the mayor's office, but entering the apartment requires a court order.
Ruslan Zhukenov, head of the housing inspection department, explained: "Entering an apartment as private property is not allowed, unfortunately, for either municipal or police employees. It is private property protected by law. Therefore, the only option is to file a lawsuit and obtain a court decision." According to the official, residents have been informed about filing a court application. Only by court order can rescuers open the door, or they must wait for the owner to make contact herself.