Posted on 04/22/2010 10:05:35 PM PDT by Chet 99
BY TARYN FITSIK
COLONIE, N.Y.--A Colonie woman faces animal cruelty charges after close to 70 cats are removed from her home.
According to the Colonie Police Department, concerned neighbors contacted them regarding the condition of the cats living in Margaret Tomko's home on John Street.
Police say they made numerous attempts to resolve the problem, but Tomko refused them all. However, police finally got a search warrant, and the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society went in to get the animals.
"Unfortunately it's something we see with quite regularity," says Brad Shear, the humane society's executive director. "It's not even close to the first case we've seen like this."
The humane society says many of the rescued cats had fleas and were suffering from respiratory infections, because of the poor air quality of the home.
"The house was really filthy," says Shear. "The number of cats there was causing an ammonia smell, and because of all the urine, our staff had to go in there with masks, in order to be in there and operate, and try and catch all the cats."
"My first thought was how in the world is she walking around in there--70 cats in a house like that is a little bit absurd," adds Nick Murray, a neighbor.
Murray says he knew Tomko had pets, but didn't know it was that bad. The humane society says Tomko's behavior is typical of a condition called "animal hoarding".
"Typically, in cases like this, there are mental health issues that go along with acquiring so many cats that you can't even take care of them all," says Shear. "And at the same time, not realize the conditions you and those animals are living in."
"The decision was made to pursue criminal charges, in the hopes the criminal justice system would be able to court mandate some kind of counseling," adds Lieutenant Robert Winn of the Colonie Police Department.
For now, the cats are being nursed back to health, in hopes of finding them a better home.
"That's probably the best thing coming out of this, is that they will now be treated better," says Murray.
The Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society says their capacity is strained right now after taking in so many cats. However, the healthiest of the animals will be ready for adoption by next week.
Margaret Tomko will re-appear in court next Wednesday night.
ping
Based on the mathematical pattern I see developing on FR in these last two threads, I am expecting a woman in Dubuque to lose 97 cats in a few minutes.
Lol.
An older woman in Albuquerque has also had her cats taken away ....there were 47
Based on who’s posting these threads, I keep waiting for the article to say that all 97 cats were eaten by pit bulls.
Unless, of course, the trend is exponential. I which case, the next one may be 321 cats.
LOL!
100 bottles of cats on the wall, 100 bottles of...
If one of those kitties should happen to fall, 99 kitties of...
That screws up my model. I am now forecasting 82 cats in Muskogee.
Maybe the pitbull addiction has turned into a cat addiction lol.
If it is exponential, then the next location is the Space Station.
Animals now off-limits for Hamtramck cat lover
BY ERIC D. LAWRENCE
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
A Hamtramck woman who authorities say brought hundreds of cats into her home over the last decade is no longer allowed to have animals after she was sentenced Wednesday in Wayne County Circuit Court on an animal-cruelty charge.
Mary Palamarchuk, 48, also will be on probation for two years and subject to random visits to make sure she doesn’t have animals at her home. She also must pay $350 in supervision and court costs and undergo a mental health evaluation.
Be afraid...... be very very afraid
Chet’s got a new one, with 67 cats, in Apple Valley. It’s a coordinated take down of little old ladies nationwide!
That’s more pussy than Tiger had.
This is the next town over from me - I’ve actually driven by that house before. There must be an inverse proportion rule somewhere regarding the size of one’s house and the number of animals hoarded, because there’s no way that house is big enough for 7 cats, let alone 70. Poor fuzzballs. :-(
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