Puppy mill - 34 animals seized from filth
Albany, NY (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Apr 9, 2008
County: Albany
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Joseph Grossman
A number of cats and dogs are recovering at a Capital Region animal shelter after police say the animals and their breeder were living in filth.
Police were tipped off by a Long Island woman who sent her cat up to Albany for breeding. But when she returned to pick up her cat, the breeder wouldn't let her or police inside the house. That's when they knew something just wasn't right.
No one came to the door Friday at 27 South Street, but it's where Albany police and investigators with the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society seized close to three dozen animals. The 20 cats and 14 dogs were taken from the home of breeder Joseph Grossman on the suspicion of animal cruelty.
"You couldn't walk across the room without stepping in a puddle of urine. There was feces on the walls in most of the rooms," Brad Shear of the Humane Society described.
Shear says it will be a while before these animals are ready to be adopted out. He says most of them have upper respiratory infections, skin problems and they're trying to rule out ringworm.
Grossman agreed to surrender ownership of all of the cats, but still wants to keep six of the dogs. Shear says they'll go to court to keep that from happening.
One man who lives in the South Street neighborhood, but didn't want to be identified, says the cats were a problem.
"They weren't tamed cats. They wandered all over. I just said what the heck, it's none of my business, let him take care of them," the neighbor said.
Shear says Grossman was able to breed and sell poodles and French bulldogs for big bucks. He adds that some hairless sphinx cats Grossman had could fetch between $1,000 and $2,000.
Investigators got a search warrant and altogether found 20 cats, mostly expensive hairless Sphinx cats. Plus, 14 dogs, including poodles and French bull dogs. Shear said all of the animals are sick with repository problems and a skin ailment that could be ringworm.
"He was making a pretty good living on the animals but he wasn't investing that money back into their care. There is no way you can healthy when you can't even breathe the air in the house," said Shear.
The Humane Society says it's working with the police and animal cruelty charges are pending. References« NY State Animal Cruelty Map
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