As of press time Wednesday, 79 cats had been removed from the residence with animal control officers estimating that another 20 were still in the house. Fifty-four cats were removed on the first day of the operation Sept. 16 from the 80 originally estimated to be in the house, but the animal control officers and volunteers on scene said they expected the number to rise to more than 100 total.
The house was the site of a "private animal rescue" called LITTLE PAWS, BIG HEARTS run by Tracy Hoeppner-Russell, who had formerly been affiliated with the Wyoming County SPCA.
She and her husband, Doug Russell, were charged with animal cruelty and neglect Tuesday, Sept. 16 after a tip led Animal Control Officer Justa Goodell to inspect the house, but Goodell said she’s asking for an animal torture charge to be added after finding a dead lab puppy in the garage.
The puppy was found in the upstairs of the garage in the corner of a small, windowless room covered in feces. It appeared to have died of starvation, despite there being several bags of dog food in the downstairs of the garage.
 |
| Getting fresh air after being rescued from Doug and Tracy's death house of horrors |
The tip that led Goodell to believe dogs were on the property described two dogs, but at the time of press the other had not been found.
In an email to the Courier, Hoeppner-Russell wrote that her house “wasn’t the cleanest, but wasn’t the dirtiest either.”
However, firsthand inspection of the house revealed a floor, walls and countertops slick with feces and vomit, and the stench was so strong Goodell advised volunteers helping to rescue the cats to only stay in the house for 10 minutes at a time. The bathtub, stovetop and windowsills were also covered in feces.
 |
| Dead cats were found piled up at the residence where Tracy and Doug just added to the pile |
Hoeppner-Russell also wrote in a Facebook post that the cats had “fresh water daily and clean litter boxes,” but Goodell said the residence had no running water, and the only water dish in the house was the one left by animal control officers the night before. The multiple litter boxes in the house were overflowing with rancid feces and urine. The house and garage have been condemned by the Wyoming County Building Department.
Animal Control has been working closely with the Perry Veterinary Clinic to get the cats needed medical attention. Animal Control Deputy Darlene Demun said each cat was given a collar and a number in order to keep track of them all, and while many had respiratory and eye issues, they had all tested negative for feline leukemia thus far.
“I don’t have cats living or dying within my walls,” Hoeppner-Russell wrote in an email. “Most cats were spayed and neutered.”
Goodell said eight dead cats were found piled up in the garage, and the vet on-scene had to euthanize four, including one “whose liver was so big you could see it.” Another dead cat was found in a bucket.
Only a small number of the cats were actually spayed or neutered, according to Demun, and several pregnant females were found.
With so many cats and many shelters already at capacity, Goodell is desperate for adopters and foster homes. Many of the cats have been taken to A New Start Kitty Rescue in Castile. Vicky Bly, who runs the rescue, was on-scene with tears in her eyes, helping to remove the cats and give them food and much-needed water.
“We’re already full,” Bly said. “To do this [take the cats] is a huge stress on our rescue.”
Despite the conditions they’ve been living in, the cats are friendly and some are very affectionate. Bly said her rescue is in need of scoopable litter, litter boxes, Purina kitten chow, kitten formula, canned food, cleaning supplies, old towels or bedding, and most of all, adopters.
Donations can be dropped off at the rescue at 6342 Denton Corners Rd. in Castile, or taken to Wyoming County Animal Control at 4380 Route 19A in Silver Springs, where they will be passed on to Bly.
(MyWNYNews - Sept 18, 2016)
Earlier:
