As CBS2’s Vanessa Murdock reported, more than 100 birds, over 20 cats and a dog were found cooped up, some in cages with feces inches deep, inside a Huntington home.
The SPCA described the living conditions as deplorable, while the women caring for the animals claim they only wanted the best for them.
But when they fell on hard times, caring for the animals fell by the wayside, Murdock reported.
“Right now, the most important thing is to get them out of harm’s way,” said Suffolk County SPCA Chief Roy Gross. “Some of these birds were in small carriers in feces up to 7 or 8 inches high.”
“This is the ultimate nightmare. This is the ultimate nightmare,” Muriel Gluck said.
Gluck and her sisters cared for the animals, she claims until recently.
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| Muriel Gluck |
“We’re good people. We’ve adopted all these animals — some of the birds we’ve had for 25 years,” she said. “Our animals are healthy and well-loved. They don’t look like they’re well-cared for right now because in the last three weeks the cages haven’t been cleaned properly.”
Gluck said a recent run of heartache and illness has overwhelmed them.
But the animals paid the price, Murdock reported.
Veterinarian Dr. Heidi Hoefer said this isn’t the first time she has seen some of the birds — a few have been to her clinic.
“I’m horrified to see what I see because in dealing with them as bird owners that come to my clinic, they were seemingly loving and caring about the birds,” she said. “They’d bring them in a nice clean carrier and I take care of them and then they go home. I had no idea that we had 100 birds living in squalor and feces,” she said.
Every animal received a check-up and each one deemed healthy enough will be taken in by local rescue groups, Murdock reported.
“(What about your animals now? What do you hope for them?) We hopepray to get them back. We don’t want to lose them,” Gluck said.
No charges have been filed against the Gluck sisters, but the investigation is ongoing.
(CBS Local - Dec 11, 2014)
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