Animal Hoarding

On August 18, the ASPCA Cruelty Intervention Advocacy (CIA) Team and Humane Law Enforcement Agents (HLE) rescued 11 dogs—mostly medium-sized Pit Bull and Shepherd mixes—from a small apartment in Brooklyn, NY. The rescued animals lived in cramped and unsuitable conditions with 10 other dogs who will also be removed from the home in the near future.

"A misguided rescuer, the owner took in most of the dogs after finding them abandoned in nearby streets and yards," reports Stacy Wolf, ASPCA Vice President and HLE's Chief Legal Counsel. "Since they were not spayed or neutered, a few dogs soon became more than 20, far more than the tiny apartment or the owner's meager means could support."

As they were led out of the apartment building, Stacy says, the dogs were wide-eyed and appeared startled by daylight. They likely spent most of their lives without setting foot outdoors—some refused to walk and were carried by their owner with their legs wrapped around her neck. With expert animal handling skills and compassion, the CIA team and HLE Agents made all 11 dogs as comfortable as possible in crates for the trip to the ASPCA headquarters in Manhattan. The CIA team also comforted and reassured the owner, who assisted in removing the dogs and thanked the team for helping in her time of need.

The 11 rescued dogs are being cared for by staff at the ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, where the remaining 10 dogs will join them in groups. All of the canines will be evaluated medically and behaviorally before being made available for adoption or being transferred to partner rescue groups. The ASPCA Adoption Center and Bergh Memorial Hospital Teams—along with several rescue and shelter partners—have stepped forward to lend a hand in giving these dogs a second chance at better lives.

Animal hoarding is a complex and far-reaching community health issue. It encompasses mental health, animal welfare and public safety concerns. For more information about our efforts to help the human and animal victims of hoarding, please visit our Hoarding FAQ.

On July 12, Beth Hoskins was charged with 114 counts of animal cruelty, in addition to the 10 counts previously filed, for severely neglecting nearly 200 horses, dogs and cats on her property in Aurora, NY. Earlier this year, the SPCA Serving Erie County seized 73 horses and dozens of cats and dogs from Hoskins’ farm. The ASPCA Field Investigations and Response Team subsequently oversaw the sheltering and care of the horses. Hoskins now faces up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine per count.

Despite the pending charges, State Supreme Court Justice Joseph R. Glownia ordered the SPCA to return 40 of the seized horses to Hoskins. The unexpected ruling was accompanied by the conditions that Hoskins hire additional employees to care for the animals and that adequate care be provided. The SPCA retains the right to inspect the returned horses and to monitor their care (the remaining 33 horses are still under its authority).

“While the animals were under our care, they received medical, physical and environmental enrichment vital to their daily well-being—more importantly, time was spent helping rebuild their broken spirits,” says Jeff Eyre, ASPCA Northeast Director of Field Investigations and Response. “I can only hope the same level of care will be maintained under these new circumstances.”

Hoskins pleaded not guilty to all charges and was released without bail. She is ordered to return to court on August 18.

To read the full account of the ASPCA’s recent intervention, please visit our Raids and Investigations page.

The ASPCA is thrilled to report that 139 adoptions took place at the Elk County Independence Day Adoption Event, and that the remaining cats have been placed with ASPCA partner agencies throughout the country. The nearly 400 severely neglected felines were discovered in late June, living in deplorable conditions at a “sanctuary” known as the Animal Friends of Elk and Cameron Counties in St. Mary’s, PA.

While many of the cats tested positive for Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, it didn’t stop families from opening their hearts and homes to many sweet-tempered cats and kittens.

“The community really stepped forward to support this adoption event,” says Tim Rickey, ASPCA Senior Director of Field Investigations and Response. “One of the most surreal moments of my entire career was standing at the event site wondering if anyone would show up. When a line of 50 people walked up the hill with crates in their hands, I nearly broke down.” The two-day event attracted more than 500 potential adopters.

A crew of nearly 65 first responders, including staff and volunteers from the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response Team, the American Humane Association and PetSmart Charities assisted in the initial seizure, sheltering management and care of the rescued cats. A team of veterinarians, led by Dr. Melinda Merck, ASPCA Senior Director of Veterinary Forensics, conducted full medical exams and treated any immediate concerns. Also on-site was the ASPCA Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinic, which provided critical spay/neuter services.

“This rescue took an incredible amount of teamwork, patience and faith on everyone's part,” says Rickey. “With so many cats placed, I am proud to say we can walk away from this operation knowing we accomplished something very special.”

Special Thanks!

The ASPCA is immensely grateful for the support of regional organizations and ASPCA partner agencies that offered temporary housing—and eventual, permanent placement—of more than 150 of the rescued cats, including:

Bucks County SPCA, PA
Humane Society of Berks County, PA
Chautauqua County Humane Society, NY
SPCA Serving Erie County, NY
Atlanta Humane, GA
Good Mews, GA
SPCA Tampa Bay, FL
Cat Depot, FL
SPCA Suncoast, FL
Columbia Animal Shelter, SC
Noah's Ark, NJ
One More Smith, NJ

To read the full account of the ASPCA’s recent intervention, please visit our Raids and Investigations section. For more information about animal hoarding, see our Hoarding FAQ.