More than 100 cats and dogs rescued: 77-year-old Florida woman arrested after prolonged animal abuse
Police found a temperature of 43 degrees in the house, piles of feces dozens of centimeters high, and a pungent smell of waste. Some of the animals have already reunited with their owners after months of searching.
An unusual incident in Florida: A 77-year-old woman was arrested after law enforcement authorities rescued more than 100 cats and dogs from her home, which were allegedly kept in harsh and life-threatening conditions, as reported overnight (between Monday and Tuesday) by The New York Times.
The suspect, Gail Justino, an employee of the United States Postal Service (USPS), is charged with animal cruelty and keeping animals without adequate living conditions. She was released shortly after her arrest on a $50,000 bond (approximately 170,000 shekels). The investigation began following reports that Justino had been collecting cats during her mail delivery route.
During the raid on her home, police and animal control officers discovered particularly harsh conditions and defined the structure as a "biohazard." According to investigators, the temperature inside the house reached about 43 degrees Celsius, the air conditioning system was not working properly, and in parts of the structure, layers of feces had accumulated up to 30 centimeters high. The rescuers reported a pungent smell of urine, feces, and ammonia, and in some cases, they had to free cats that were trapped inside waste accumulations that had dried around them.
In total, more than 100 animals were rescued from the house, including about 80 cats and 12 dogs. The organization that took in the animals told The New York Times that many of the cats suffered from underweight, skin diseases, hair loss, and dental problems, while the dogs were found in poor medical condition, suffering, among other things, from fleas.
Dozens of complaints over the years
According to US authorities, the problems at the house had been known for years. Since 2014, up to 65 civil reports have been filed against Justino regarding animal keeping conditions. In the past, air conditioners were even installed at the site in an attempt to improve the situation, but later inspections revealed that they were not working.
Despite the large number of animals found in the house, for which dozens of charges could have been considered, at this stage an indictment including only two offenses has been filed against Justino, and the investigation into her case continues. At the same time, the animals continue to receive medical care, and the authorities are examining the possibility of returning them to their owners or transferring them to adoption procedures.
Within this difficult story, there was also a touching moment: Lynn Nguyen, who had been searching for seven months for her cat Pachi, identified him at the shelter after hearing his voice.
"It felt like a miracle," she told The New York Times after the reunion.
