A veterinarian’s home in Long Island became the site of one of the worst animal hoarding situations ever encountered, with over 200 birds and other creatures found living in squalor.
The Nassau County SPCA was alerted to the home in Woodbury after a service worker discovered deceased cats in the yard on Wednesday, prompting officials to investigate further.
When authorities entered the house on Thursday, they were met with terrifying conditions.
The building, filled with cages and mounds of garbage, made it difficult for more than one or two people to be inside at a time.
Crews, dressed in hazmat suits, worked cautiously to navigate the cramped space. Gary Rogers, Chief of the Nassau County SPCA, described the scene as harrowing, noting that exotic birds were covered in filth, and the overwhelming stench made the environment unbearable.
According to a spokesperson for the SPCA, the conditions were some of the worst witnessed in the group’s 40 years of service.
The woman responsible for the animals, a licensed veterinarian in her 70s, was transported to the hospital for evaluation.
While her name has not been publicly released, authorities expect to charge her with animal cruelty.
Among the animals found were parrots, geese, tortoises, and cats, all living in extreme neglect.
Initially, rescuers feared that removing the animals would be unsafe, but eventually, they began the process of recovery, starting with turtles and other creatures.
Despite the chaos, geese could still be heard squawking from inside the heavily wooded property, which sits near a local shopping center.
Local and state officials were on the scene for hours, and the operation to clear the home was expected to continue into Friday. The town of Oyster Bay condemned the house due to its unsafe conditions.
This article by Trinity Sparke was first published by One Green Planet on 8 October 2024. Image Credit :VH-studio/Shutterstock.
What you can do
Help to save wildlife by donating as little as $1 – It only takes a minute.
