For the third time in six months, a case of apparent animal hoarding has come to light in North Hudson. In the worst incident yet, law enforcement officials discovered 81 cats and five dogs in small cages in a West New York house, and 10 animals needed to be euthanized that same day.
Animal Control Officer Geoffrey Santini checked up on a condo on 52nd Street in West New York after someone called in a tip about a “terrible odor.” The animals were discovered inside one of two bedrooms of a third-floor apartment.
Almost all of the animals were confined to small cages stacked inside the room, with up to four cats sharing a single cage, officials said last week. The animals allegedly were deprived of food and water and suffered from numerous ailments including ringworm, periodontal disease, and upper respiratory infections.
“This was a normal middle class condo. You would never expect it in this building. We met tenants with babies.” – Geoffrey Santini
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Once treated, many of the animals will be made available for adoption. Some of the healthier ones have already found homes, while others are still under quarantine or awaiting medical treatment.
However, 10 had to be euthanized that same afternoon by injection, after a veterinarian declared they were suffering and not going to survive.
The apartment owners, a female couple and their 20-year-old daughter, were charged by the humane officer with 86 counts of animal cruelty, with the possibility of six months to a year in jail and up to $500 in fines per count. In addition, can be held responsible for repayment of expenses incurred by the town, including veterinary bills and treatment of the animals, if convicted.
At a first court appearance on Tuesday afternoon, the homeowners appeared without an attorney and requested a public defender, according to Santini.
Behind the closed door
The anonymous caller contacted not only Santini but the West New York Police Department and the Health Department, all on the same day. Santini and a police officer followed up with a visit to the 52nd Street apartment at 11:30 a.m. on May 27, the Friday before Memorial Day weekend.
When they informed the woman who answered the door that they had received a complaint of possible animal cruelty, she insisted she had no animals, according to Santini. None were visible inside what appeared to be a tidy apartment. But the air fresheners in the stairwell and the scented candles burning in the apartment couldn’t mask the pungent odor of animal waste, and finally the two officers convinced her to let them inside.
“The dining room table was set like it was Thanksgiving,” said Santini. “The apartment appeared to the naked eye to be in great condition, with a big screen TV on. They had just made chocolate-covered strawberries on a plate, like normal people, normal behavior. But as you got closer to the bedroom door, the smell got stronger and stronger and stronger. And when we walked into the bedroom, oh my God.”
Piled high along one wall were dozens of cages, backed by a blue tarp, presumably to contain the waste and the odor. “The urine was seeping into the wood floors,” said Santini. The one loose cat in the room had soiled the bed. The caged cats were severely undernourished and dehydrated, he said.
More cages were scattered throughout. The five dogs, Pomeranians, Yorkies, and Shih Tzus, were in tiny dog carriers. “They couldn’t even turn around,” said Santini. “They were standing straight, [allegedly] no food and water, with laundry bags on top of the crates so no one would hear them barking.” They were matted and in poor physical shape and eventually had to be shaved before being treated for various ailments.
“Animal diseases are transmitted through the air. These animals were confined in a room where the germs were flying around,” said Santini. “The bedroom was saturated. I was in a full body suit and a respirator and it was still hard to breathe.”
A plague of hoarding
“We didn’t have any indication they were selling them, just [alleged] animal hoarding,” said Santini.
Animal hoarding is a serious problem. In many cases, it begins with a few pets and just gets out of hand. In December 2015, just one block away in West New York, about 20 cats were rescued and one found dead in the apartment of a 76-year-old man who reportedly told police he simply lost control of the situation.
And in North Bergen in January, more than 50 dogs and cats were rescued from deplorable conditions inside a house after police received numerous complaints from neighbors. The owner of the home allegedly abandoned it just before officials removed the animals.
Northern Hudson County may seem to be suffering a plague of animal hoarding, but it’s not unique. On June 5, more than 270 dogs were rescued from a home in Monmouth County’s Howell Township. In this case, the owner started with eight dogs a few years ago, let them interbreed, and the situation simply snowballed.
No one is quite sure how the situation inside the 52nd Street apartment got so extreme. “Whatever they were thinking, they weren’t helping the animals,” said Santini. “When you have a pet, you take care of it, give it fresh water and food. There was no interaction with the animals here. What they were [allegedly] doing was cruel and inhumane. We had to watch animals being put to sleep because of people’s incompetence and behavior.”
“Hoarding doesn’t just happen in low income areas,” he continued. “It’s not rich or poor. It can be anywhere. This was a normal middle class condo. You would never expect it in this building. We met tenants with babies. The children could have caught this ringworm. It’s airborne.”
Although many of the animals have already been adopted, some are still looking for homes. Anyone interested in adopting can call the animal control hotline at (201) 822-7333 or the West New York mayor’s office at (201) 295-5100.
Meanwhile all animal owners are urged to remember one thing: “We plead to people, get your animals spayed and neutered,” said Santini. “If you need help, reach out and we’ll try to help you. Don’t let things get out of control, because you’re only hurting the animals.”