Suffolk SPCA: 80 cats found inside West Islip home
Multiple animal rescue groups from across Long Island responded to help remove the cats.
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The Suffolk SPCA says 80 cats were found in a West Islip home in another case of animal hoarding.
The fire department says the Town of Islip hazmat team first arrived at the home on Patricia Avenue on Tuesday.
“The conditions were deplorable,” said Lt. Raymond Alvarez, of the Suffolk SPCA. “The cats did not look well cared for at all. They had open wounds and matted hair.”
Multiple animal rescue groups from across Long Island responded to help remove the cats.
“It’s really hard to breathe in there. I was coughing a lot. We were trying to grab as many cats as we could,” said Renee Kraft, of Save A Stray Rescue.
Rescue workers believe there may be at least 100 more cats still inside the home, including dozens in a separate location on the property.
Lt. Alvarez says the homeowner had been breeding Maine coon cats for at least 20 years and selling them through a website. That site is linked to the West Islip address and lists cats for sale for thousands of dollars. Investigators are now looking into whether this is legal.
A neighbor told News 12 that she knew about the cats but thought the owners were legal cat breeders.
News 12 attempted to speak with someone at the home, but a woman declined to comment.
All rescued cats will be examined by a veterinarian before being placed for adoption.
