Hoarding - 49 cats, one dog seized from rescue
Buffalo, NY (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Aug 6, 2009
County: Erie
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available
Alleged: Joanne C. McGrath
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
The operator of a pet sanctuary in a feces-littered apartment on Sayre Street where 32 cats were removed on Aug. 6 was charged today with 50 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.
Joanne C. McGrath, 55, of Arkansas Street, faces up to a year in jail or a $1,000 fine, or both, if convicted on the charges. McGrath is scheduled to appear on the charges Friday morning in Buffalo City Court, according to Gina Browning, a spokeswoman for the SPCA Serving Erie County.
A week after animal rescue workers from the SPCA removed 32 cats from a rear apartment at 33 Sayre St. in the city's Riverside neighborhood, where McGrath operated St. Francis Pet Sanctuary (a registered 501(c) charity), rescue workers seized 17 cats and a puppy from McGrath's Arkansas Street apartment.
"She signed over the cats that were seized from the Sayre Street property," Browning said Monday. "So, right now we own 32. She didn't sign over the ones from her residence, but they're still in [the SPCA's] custody."
Two of the 17 cats removed from McGrath's Arkansas Street apartment were near death at the time the SPCA seized them and were later euthanized, Browning said.
"We're dealing with the 32 cats seized from Sayre Street on a case-by-case basis, but it looks like they all will survive," Browning added.
At the time they were seized, many of the cats from the Sayre Street apartment were plagued with various maladies, including severe periodontal infections, eye infections, hematomas, ear mites, dehydration and severe upper respiratory infections that were exacerbated by the unsanitary conditions in the apartment, Browning said.
Many of those cats were feral, she added. An organization called Feral Cat Focus is assisting the SPCA with those cats. Another group, Ten Live Club, is helping with the placement of the non-feral cats.
"This is textbook animal hoarding," said Browning. "It's still animal cruelty, but a very different kind of animal cruelty. It's not the same situation as the dog that was dragged behind the car last week, so this case is being handled differently. We're learning more about animal hoarding every day."
Case UpdatesA Buffalo woman faced charges Friday that she kept dozens of animals in filthy conditions in two Buffalo homes.
Joanne McGrath pleaded not guilty to 50 counts of animal cruelty.
The SPCA says it had to rescue a dog and 49 cats from deplorable conditions at the Saint Francis Animal Sanctuary on Sayre Street and McGrath's Arkansas Street home.
They believe McGrath is an "animal hoarder", which is a form of addictive behavior.
SPCA Public Relations Director, Gina Browning said, "There is a part of this mental illness that precludes the victim from seeing the reality of the situation, so we have gone into hoarder homes that they've had animals that are alive, they've had animals right on the property that are deceased."
"I was only trying to do good for animals. I'm not the kind of person they're portraying me to be," McGrath said.
McGrath is due back in Buffalo City Court next Friday. | Source: WIVB - Aug 22, 2009
Update posted on Aug 23, 2009 - 6:00PM |
A Buffalo woman faces 50 counts of animal cruelty in city court Friday, after dozens of her animals were seized from two homes.
Joanne McGrath is expected to appear in Buffalo City Court Friday morning to answer the charges.
The SPCA seized dozens of cats from two houses in Buffalo, in just a matter of weeks.
McGrath was operating the Saint Francis Animal Sanctuary in an apartment on Sayre Street in Buffalo's Riverside neighborhood, when 32 cats were removed from the home, on August 6.
Just a week later, animal rescue workers were called to a home on Arkansas Street, where the found deplorable conditions.
"The cats are everywhere inside, they are in the ceiling, in the walls, in the rafters, in the basement, there's holes that go above the cupboards to the attic, that they crawl back and forth," said Lindsay Styborski, of the SPCA Humane Law Enforcement.
20 cats were found inside, all suffering from respiratory illness.
One of the cats had to be euthanized.
A neighbor says McGrath was rescuing the animals. "Maybe she tried to help 'em, and didn't expect this to turn out. She seemed like a nice person," said Cheryl Hellerman.
If convicted, Joanne McGrath faces up to a year in jail or a $1,000 fine. | Source: WIVB - Aug 21, 2009
Update posted on Aug 23, 2009 - 6:00PM |
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