Hoarding - 97 cats seized, 7 dogs
Yonkers, NY (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Oct 13, 2004
County: Westchester
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Patricia Nichols
Police shot and killed a pit bull that they said attacked an officer who went to check the apartment on Tuesday, and seized the other animals (including 7 dogs, several reptiles and a seagull) inside, turning them over to the Yonkers Animal Shelter. They arrested the occupant, Patricia Nichols, and turned her four children over to child-welfare authorities.
Police are continuing to investigate. Authorities said Nichols, 35, worked part time for a Nyack dog-grooming shop, and others described her as a fixture in the local animal-rescue community who had worked at the Elmsford Animal Shelter.
Lucy Vicidomini, an employee at the Elmsford shelter, called Nichols an animal lover who had been working with shelter director Mimi Stone since age 13. Nichols was employed by the shelter "a long time ago," Vicidomini said, then left and returned there for several months last year.
Police were looking for a Queens woman who may have been supplying Nichols with cats rescued from euthanasia, and paying her to harbor them. They said the two women met at the Rockland County grooming parlor.
At the Yonkers shelter, many of the 97 cats from Nichols' apartment were too sick for adoption, deputy animal-control officer Almira Simpson said yesterday. Four or five were being treated by a veterinarian for upper respiratory problems, she said, and others were flea-infested.
Police Chief Charles Gardner says the place smelled "like a dead body."
"It's hard to say when they'll be ready," she said, because the respiratory infection is highly contagious and more cats could start to develop symptoms.
Several felines were taken by a rescue agency on Wednesday. And KittyKind, a New York City cat rescue and adoption group, took in another 25 yesterday, Simpson said. Several Westchester animal shelters have offered to care for a few of the animals, but shelter workers would prefer to place them outside the shelter system, she said.
At the moment, no residents have expressed interest in adopting the animals, she said. Anyone wishing to adopt a cat or dog from the Yonkers Animal Shelter may call 914-377-6372 References« NY State Animal Cruelty Map
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