Hazmat teams and Suffolk SPCA respond to Ronkonkoma home; more than 40 animals removed
The head of the Suffolk County SPCA told News 12 they are "trying to place a lot of animals."
More Stories
Hazmat teams, the Suffolk SPCA and multiple other county agencies were called Tuesday to a Ronkonkoma home.
Suffolk County police say the first officers arrived at 2478 Motor Pkwy. around 11:30 a.m.
Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County SPCA told News 12 the agency was conducting an investigation at the home and executed a search warrant.
Gross says at last count, 46 animals, including birds and dogs, were taken out of the home.
He told News 12 that the subject of the investigation was charged with animal cruelty and the home was condemned.
News 12 was there as dozens of animals were taken out of the home, many of them in cages.
Catherine Rothmeier, of local animal rescue group The North Fork Country Kids, went inside the home after being called to help by the SPCA.
"You can't even like imagine, like you think you know, until you walk in and you're like, 'Wow,'" says Rothmeier.
She says she saw animals in crates in every room of the home, including a bathroom.
“Crates all over, like every room is packed with crates,” Rothmeier says.
Rothmeier says some of the animals looked like they needed medical attention immediately.
"The bottoms of their crates were just like matted with fur that they've shed."
Rothmeier added that her rescue group would try and take some of the animals and hopefully find foster homes for them.
The massive emergency response to rescue the animals included crews from multiple Suffolk agencies, including Town of Islip Hazmat, Animal Control, Suffolk police and the Lakeland Fire Department and EMS.
Gross told News 12 that one of his animal control officers at the home said it was the worst case of animal cruelty he'd ever seen.
