New York: Lisa Birdsall is accused of adopting out sick pets and sticking new owners with thousands of dollars in vet bills

NEW YORK -- A northern Westchester animal rescue operation is under fire for allegedly adopting out sick pets and sticking new owners with thousands of dollars in vet bills.

Alleged victims are still coming forward with videos and pictures of sick animals which they say were adopted from the mobile non-profit, "Recycled Paws Rescue."

Four years ago, Bob Pidgeon and Kyle McCarthy, of Cortland Manor, adopted McGee, a Shepard mix, from the non-profit Recycled Paws Rescue.

They said they were told the puppy was given a clean bill of health by a veterinarian, but almost immediately, things with McGee went terribly wrong, CBS2’s Scott Rapoport reported.

“He vomited. He had diarrhea. He was lethargic. He didn’t run around, he just laid there,” McCarthy said.

The McCarthys adopted McGee from Lisa Birdsall only
to find out later that he had Distemper

She said the dog had a case of distemper, which is a potentially deadly neurological disorder. She feared it might kill him.

McCarthy said she paid more than $3,000 in veterinarian bills for a puppy she was told was healthy but obviously was not. She is furious at Recycled Paws Rescue.

 

“Deceitful. Disrespectful. They are essentially just flipping puppies,” she said.

Her case against Recycled Paws Rescue is apparently not the only one.

Westchester officials confirm owner Lisa Marie Birdsall has outstanding civil penalties for operating without a permit in the past. They say she also voluntarily surrendered a number of sick dogs during an investigation.

Birdsall surrender many dogs that were sick
and had not been provided with vet care

"We provided medical care for those 10 dogs. There were still dogs sick. One of the problems we faced with this, a vet said those dogs were under their care," says Ernest Lungaro, of the Westchester SPCA.

SPCA officials say they are investigating a number of complaints.

Birdsall and her attorney had no comment to News 12. However, in response to the accusations against Birdsall, her attorney sent a statement, saying “She has not done that knowingly. She has adopted out thousands and just a few complain. They are animals, not goods with a warranty. The allegations are unfair.”

The MCarthys say Birdsall is nothing but a dog flipper

(News12 - November 30, 2016)