A house owned by a New York veterinarian on Long Island was found to be filled with more than 200 birds and other animals in a hoarding situation that officials described as among the worst they have ever seen.
The Nassau County SPCA was called after a service worker went to the Woodbury home on Wednesday and saw dead cats in the yard. Officials went to the home Thursday and found the animals living in horrific conditions inside.
Crews were dressed in white hazmat suits were seen entering the house, which was filled with cages and so much garbage that only one or two people could go in at a time, and only for a short time. Nassau County SPCA Chief Gary Rogers said exotic birds were seen with their feathers covered in filth, and the odor coming from inside was horrendous.
A spokesperson for the SPCA said it was the worst conditions he's seen inside a home in 40 years of working with the group.
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Geese could be heard squawking in the home, which is located on a heavily wooded property adjacent to a shopping center. It was initially believed to be unsafe to remove the animals, but crews were later seen taking out turtles and other animals. Parrots, tortoises and cats were among the animals recovered from the house.
It was not immediately clear how long it would take to remove all the animals, though it is expected to extendinto Friday; state and local investigators were seen in and around the property for hours starting Thursday morning.
The house was condemned by the town of Oyster Bay. The licensed veterinarian who lived there, in her 70s, was taken to a hospital for evaluation, but she is expected to be charged with animal cruelty, according to Rogers. The woman lived in the home alone, and has not yet been identified.
