At the very least 100 cats had been rescued from a Lengthy Island house the place animal welfare employees say the animals had been residing in deplorable circumstances, lots of them sick, malnourished and flea-infested.
The Suffolk County SPCA mentioned its group, together with different rescuers, eliminated at the very least 100 cats from the West Islip house, some present in cages and others roaming unfastened. The house has since been condemned, and the lady who lives there, 66-year-old Grace Etzelsberger, has been arrested on animal neglect costs.
“That is horrible,” a rescuer might be heard saying in video captured in the course of the operation.
“It was completely disgusting,” mentioned Frank Floridia, one of many rescuers who entered the house. “It was exhausting to breathe. The cats had been residing in their very own feces.”
Investigators mentioned the cats suffered from a spread of well being points together with open sores, flea infestations and malnourishment.
“They had been hungry. Searching for human consideration. Very unhappy,” mentioned Floridia, of Robust Island Animal Rescue.
Authorities imagine Etzelsberger was working a cat breeding operation from her house. Her web site indicated she was promoting Maine Coon cats — a well-liked and costly breed — for as much as $4,000 every.
“We knew they had been breeders, however we didn’t know to the extent at which it was,” mentioned a neighbor who added that he by no means seen indicators of hassle earlier than the SPCA’s raid on Monday. “It was slightly stunning.”
Footage from inside the house confirmed disturbing photos of the cats’ circumstances.
“Excellent round their necks — all sores,” mentioned Meredith Festa, one of many rescuers who has since helped look after the cats.
Fest has taken in a number of of the cats, as she and others are working to nurse the animals again to well being to allow them to finally be adopted.
“They’re so candy and so they deserve higher than this,” Festa mentioned. “And we’re gonna give it to them.”
This story was initially reported for broadcast by NBC New York. AI instruments helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC New York journalist edited the article for publication.
