19 Cats removed from filthy motel room
Lakehurst, NJ (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Aug 20, 1998
County: Ocean
Disposition: Not Charged
Person of Interest: Felice Fasano
Felice "Felix" Fasano, in his 60s has lived in the Mike O'Neal Motel on Route 70 for about 10 years. He rides his bicycle or walks to his job at a graphite company in Manchester.
The owner of the motel, Richard Blicharz, said "Felix is alone. He has cats. He was thinking that was his family." Blicharz said he thinks perhaps Fasano may need medical help.
The animal control officers that reported to the investigate found 19 cats in the motel room that smelled so badly from filth and waste, the room next to this motel room became unrentable.
Chief Peter Oraboni of the Ocean County chapter of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said "When I went down there, I could see the cats in the window. They were flea infested." He touched a blanket that was so dirty, his hands were black after touching the blanket.
The fumes from the room were so noxious that one of the animal control officers had to be taken to Kimball Medical Center outpatient treatment center.
The cats were examined by a veterinarian he he could only save three of the kittens, the remainder of the cats had to be destroyed because they were so sickly.
When the SPCA locates Fasano, he will be issued summonses for animal cruelty.
Blicharz said, "He's a sad story. He's a nice man. He's a hard working man, but he's dirty. Probably he's supposed to be with a group (home)."
Officer, Joseph Koukos, said "It was a mess. It stank. It was definitely not livable for a human. I was in the room for half an hour and I had to go to Kimball." References- Asbury Park NJ Press - Aug 22, 1998
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