Detectives from the Suffolk County SPCA have charged a Kings Park woman with alleged animal cruelty, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia after the execution of a search warrant on her residence on Feb. 8.
Roy Gross, Chief of the Suffolk SPCA, said that its detectives charged Cazandra Nucci, 42, with multiple misdemeanor animal cruelty charges, alleging that Nucci neglected eleven sugar gliders and nine cats in her care by failing to provide a safe and clean environment. Additionally there were 9 dead sugar gliders and 1 dead snake.
The operation was executed with assistance from the Suffolk County Police Department’s Emergency Services Unit, Homicide Section, 4th Precinct Patrol, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office BEAST Unit, Town of Smithtown’s Fire Marshal’s Office, Code Enforcement and Animal Shelter.
Upon executing a search warrant in the afternoon of February 8, 2025, detectives found the home the animals were confined inside had noxious air and odor of feces, urine, and rot were so pungent it made personnel cough and gag upon entry and stung their eyes. The animals found indoors were in an overcrowded area of hoarded garbage over six feet high in some spaces. Dozens of apparent drug paraphernalia were strewn about the residence, crack cocaine and MDMA were recovered along with nine deceased sugar gliders. The conditions inside were so extreme that personnel had to crawl over the piles of debris inside. The residence has been placarded as unfit for human occupancy by the Town of Smithtown Code Enforcement.
Nucci was booked at the Suffolk County Police Department 4th Precinct and released. She is scheduled to appear at First District Court in Central Islip, on February 28. The animals will soon be available for adoption at the Smithtown Animal Shelter.
The Suffolk County SPCA remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all animals in the county. Animal cruelty will not be tolerated. If you witness any incident of animal cruelty or neglect in Suffolk County please contact the Suffolk County SPCA at (631) 382-7722.
Every year Hoover the Goat at Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown picks the winner of the Super Bowl and for the last 7 years, he’s been on a roll, correctly predicting the champion 5 times by munching on the team. This year, Hoover, pictured with volunteer Dan Defeo, has taken a bite out of the Philadelphia Eagles! Will he be right again? Only time will tell. Stay tuned and let’s see if Hoover has the magic touch!
Strolling on a mid-December day to pick up the morning paper at the base of the driveway, I passed by the bird bath and noticed the surface had a thin layer of ice capping a few inches of water underneath, an event about as surprising as the fact gravity held me to the ground as I fetched to get the newspaper.
Except that a thought I had not had for a very long time suddenly flashed to mind, from something I read in a middle school Earth Science textbook, a thought about a concept that is remarkably consequential — if ice wasn’t lighter than water but rather denser, life might not have ever gotten a foothold on planet Earth or if it did, it might have happened later and in a much more limited fashion geographically speaking.
As water cools it becomes denser so water closer to a freezing temperature, say 40 degrees Fahrenheit, is denser than at 80 degree water and 80 degree water is denser than water near its boiling point. The fact the colder water is, the denser it is, is true — but only to a point. Once water falls below 39.4 degrees Fahrenheit it reverses course density wise and becomes less dense as water molecules shift to form a lattice-like structure of spread out interconnected hexagons (six sided) once the water freezes; this lower density explains why ice is always on the surface and why ice cubes and icebergs float.
If water lacked this chemical quirkiness (in one scientific account characterized as ‘anomalous physical behavior’) and ice was denser than water, when ice formed at the surface from contact with air below 32 degrees, it would sink to the bottom, soon freezing solid the entire water column from bottom to top and everything in between if it stayed cold long enough.
All turtles, frogs, salamanders, and fish would be frozen along with the much smaller zooplankton that forms the base of the aquatic food chain located in temperate climates. Aquatic mammals such as beavers, muskrats, and otters would struggle mightily to survive. The same would be true for bays, harbors and the shallow portions of oceans, creating profound difficulties for the animals living in the colder portions of the marine realm.
If ice was denser than water would life ever have evolved on Earth? If so, would it be in the countless forms we see today? Would there have been other evolutionary pathways than the traditionally understood fish to amphibian to reptile to bird and mammal route we have deciphered from genetic evidence and the fossil record? Would you or Ieven exist to read and write this article, respectively?
Fortunately, our world is one in which water behaves oddly, with ice always floating on water, forming a protective layer for the free swimming aquatic life beneath. No matter how cold and bone-chilling the temperature of the air, even in circumstances involving temperatures much below zero (as routinely happens in mountainous areas and the polar regions), the water beneath the ice remains a ‘balmy’ 33 degrees or slightly higher, allowing for life to persist.
And ice isn’t the only form of frozen water that protects life. Snow does the same.One foot of snow is enough to keep the soil near 32 degrees despite what the air temperature is above the snow. This insulative value is not surprising given the fact that about 90% of the volume of a freshly fallen blanket of snow is air!
This allows for small mammals like voles and mice to remain active through the winter, hidden from predators beneath the snow, although a life free from predation is never a guarantee; a fact borne out on a few occasions when I’ve seen both red fox and coyote spring high into the air, arching their backs to gain momentum and focus, coming hard down on the snow with their front paws to punch through the crusty surface layer of snow in pursuit of a vole or mouse it heard below.
I well remember watching a coyote in a wind-blown, snow-covered farm field in Ontario, north of Ottawa, about thirty winters ago repeatedly pouncing through the snow, eventually catching what looked like to be a meadow vole.
Snow also enables animals hibernating beneath (called the subnivean zone) to use less energy and worry less about frostbite during this vulnerable time. Snow also protects plants from “frostbite” by preventing the soil from freezing and damaging small roots and rootlets. That’s why snow is referred to as the “poor man’s mulch”! The snow prevents a freeze-thaw-freeze-thawcycle which canpush or heave a plant from the soil causing root damage.
And a snow cover benefits human animals and their properties too, by safeguarding underground water lines from freezing since slightly below the snow-covered surface the temperature remains above the freezing point. This might not be true if very cold air can make prolonged contact against a ground that lacks the benefit of a snow blanket.
Under certain conditions though, snow and ice can prove lethal to plants and animals. The weight of wet snow can break branches and occasionally break or topple trees, especially evergreens whose abundant needled leaves hold snow. Ice forming inside plant and animal cells can be lethal as microscopically small ice shards puncture cell walls.
The wood frog, a native amphibian that breeds in vernal pools throughout Long Island (vernal pools will be the subject of a Nature Matters column in the Spring of 2025) actually freezes solid in the winter and is able to survive by pumping water out of its cells so they stay protected.No wonder they are amusingly called ‘frogcicles’!
If you want to see a wood frog thawing out after a long winter of being frozen but somehow still staying alive, I invite you to look at YouTube videos.
So there you have it — ice and snow — two substances which can disrupt life in specific situations but lifegiving in a general sense. And since we’re still in the glow of the holiday season, let’s be forever thankful for the unique, life-permitting nature of water molecules.
A resident of Setauket, author John L. Turner is a naturalist, conservation co-chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, and Conservation Policy Advocate for the Seatuck Environmental Association.
This week’s shelter pets are Frankenstein and Catapotumous – Frankie and Cat for short. This inseparable duo arrived at the shelter after their owner, sadly, could no longer care for them. Their deep bond is truly heartwarming, and our greatest wish is to find them a loving home where they can enjoy their golden years together.
Frankenstein is a stunning gray and white domestic shorthair, estimated to be around 17 years young. The senior of the pair, exudes warmth and affection, winning over everyone she meets. Frankie would love nothing more than to be adopted alongside her best friend, Cat. She would do well in a home with older children, other cats, and calm dogs.
Catapotumous, is a gorgeous thirteen -year-old, brown and white, domestic short hair, female tabby. Her affectionate nature makes her the perfect companion, ready to share her love and playfulness with a loving family. Expect a double dose of purring, lap naps and snuggles while in the company of Cat and her bestie Frankie. Cat would thrive in most home environments, including those with older kids, other cats, and calm dogs.
These two lovely ladies bring double the love and companionship—if you’re looking to add warmth and joy to your home, consider opening your heart to Frankie and Cat. They’re ready to shower their new family with endless love!
If you are interested in meeting Frankenstein and Catapotumous please fill out an application to schedule time to properly interact with your prospective soul mate in a domestic setting.
All of the felines at the Shelter are current on vaccines and have received a full workup (blood work, Feline HIV & Leukemia tested, physical exam etc) by a board certified Veterinarian.
The Town of Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only).For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.
Bird flu, which is a virus that has so far primarily infected animals, has affected a duck farm in Aquebogue.
Amid concerns about transmission, Crescent Duck Farm, which has operated as a family business since 1908, has had to put down close to 100,000 ducks.
At this point, health officials haven’t reported any cases of humans contracting the virus, although the farm, its workers and doctors have been looking out for signs of illness.
Local doctors suggested that the risk to humans from bird flu is limited to those people who have worked with or handled sick birds.
Dr. Adrian Popp, chair of Infection Control at Huntington Hospital/ Northwell Health. File photo
The virus “transmits easily from bird to bird, but so far transmission to humans has not occurred to my knowledge,” Dr. Adrian Popp, chair of Infection Control at Huntington Hospital/ Northwell Health and associate professor of medicine at Hofstra School of Medicine, explained in an email. “There is a theoretical possibility that this can occur, but so far, I think we are safe,” as New York State is monitoring exposed workers.
Doctors urged residents to see a healthcare worker if they have any contact with birds and they develop symptoms such as a fever, conjunctivitis (an eye infection that can include redness or watery eyes), or breathing issues.
“Monitor yourself for 10 days after exposure,” urged Dr. Aleena Zahra, infectious disease physician at St. Charles Hospital. “If you develop any symptoms, seek medical attention.”
The treatment for bird flu, which can affect people in ways that are similar to influenza, is to take tamiflu, which is more effective in the earlier stages of an infection.
“If you’re in contact with an animal that is sick, then that would be a potential risk factor,” added Zahra.
Zahra advised residents to avoid picking up a dead bird in their yard without gloves and other safety measures.
Dr. Sharon Nachmann, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, added that the jump to humans from other animals is rarely happening.
People who have become infected are typically recovering, although one person in Louisiana died from the virus.
Despite the relatively low risk, viruses have the ability to mutate, which could make them more transmissible and more dangerous.
CDC silence
At the same time, local doctors are concerned that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stopped publishing information on infectious diseases.
“This is an unprecedented attack on timely access to reports about transmission of various infectious diseases in the country and worldwide,” Popp explained. “It will lead to delayed prevention measures, poor health care, and potentially allowing infectious disease outbreaks to get out of control.”
Dr. Sharon Nachmann/Stony Brook Children’s Hospital
The CDC has created travel bans in the past, but has not closed its reporting on outbreaks, Nachmann said.
“It’s incredibly stressful,” said Nachmann.
Doctors added that they were missing the bigger picture that might offer important information about the source of an illness and the best possible treatment.
“We want to do the best for our patients. We want to tell them that this is working or that is not working and you need a different medication,” Nachmann said.
For right now, doctors are gathering information from state and local officials, said Zahra.
The CDC typically shares details about the specific type of infections in an area or region, its responsiveness to various treatments and its differential impact on any specific subgroup, such as children.
“It is sad to see how political, partisan measures are used to suppress sharing of scientific information between healthcare professionals,” Popp added.
Doctors are hoping for more and better information before too long.
“All we have now is a stop,” said Nachmann. “We don’t know what happens after the stop.”
Adopt Morris!This week’s featured shelter pet is Morris, a handsome 10-year-old orange tabby available for adoption at the Smithtown Animal Shelter.
Morris was found as a stray in early January. .His friendliness and ease around people gave caretakers hope that someone would claim him, but sadly, no one came for him.
Morris is an outgoing fella who loves people, which is evident upon making his acquaintance. He will not hesitate to introduce himself, excited to make new friends, especially those fond of being on the receiving end of infinite affection, purring, and cuddling.
Morris is every cat lover’s dream; he allows those around him to enjoy his playfulness, sweet and loving nature. He is very good at letting you know if he needs quiet time when overstimulated. Morris is a perfect gentleman who will bring companionship, joy, and cherished moments to a lucky family’s heart and home.
If you are interested in meeting this sweet boy, please fill out an application to schedule time to properly interact with your prospective soul mate in a domestic setting.
The Town of Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only).
For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.
The lake at Blydenburgh County Park. Photo from County Executive Romaine's Facebook
Suffolk County Police rescued a jogger on Jan. 30 after he got stuck in chest-high mud in the former lake at Blydenburgh County Park in Smithtown.
A jogger called 911 at 12:10 p.m. to report he was lost in the park and stuck in chest-high mud in the former lake. The man’s dog wandered onto the mud and as the man was attempting to retrieve the dog, he began to sink. Fourth Precinct officers, Emergency Service Section officers and Aviation Section officers responded.
Aviation Section officers located the man less than 30 minutes later and hovered over the area until officers on the ground reached him. Fourth Precinct Sergeant Katherine Kuzminski and Fourth Precinct Officer Richard Esposito entered the mud and attempted to pull out the man. After several minutes, Officer Esposito successfully pulled him to shore and placed him in his police vehicle to warm him to avoid hypothermia.
The jogger, Kyle Prato, 24, of Medford, was treated at the scene by members of the Nissequogue and Town of Smithtown Fire Departments. His dog, an Australian Shepherd named Stryker, was unharmed.
From left, postdoctoral researcher William Thomas, Professor Liliana Dávalos and former undergraduate fellow Maria Alejandra Bedoya Duque. Photo courtesy of William Thomas
By Daniel Dunaief
Captivity causes changes in a brain, at least in the shrew.
Small animals that look like rodents but are related to moles and hedgehogs, shrews have different gene expression in several important areas of their brain during captivity.
In a study led by 2022 Hearst summer Undergraduate Research Fellow Maria Alejandra Bedoya Duque in the lab of Stony Brook Professor Liliana Dávalos, shrews in captivity haddifferent gene expression in the cortex, hippocampus and olfactory bulb. These brain areas are important for cognition, memory and environmental sensing.
“I was very surprised by what we found,” said Dávalos. While she expected that the research might uncover differences between the brains of captive and wild animals, she didn’t expect the changes to be as many or as strong.
The change in brain activity could offer potential alternative explanations for studies that explore the effect of various experiments on animals kept in captivity.
“It could be very useful to find out if these environmental influences could be confounding,” said Dávalos. “We don’t know all the dimensions of what captivity is doing.”
Additionally, brain activity changes in captivity for shrews in terms of the transcripts that are over or under expressed mirror those found in humans who have neurological changes such as major depressive disorder or neuro degenerative disorders.
“How these [changes] influence behavior or cognition is a separate question,” Dávalos added.
To be sure, extrapolating from shrews to humans is different and requires careful analysis, Dávalos explained.
Humans and shrews have distinct life history, ecology, body size and other characteristics. While scientists can study genes they think might have similar functions, more studies are necessary to determine the effects of those genes in expression and how similar they are to those studied in humans or mice.
Dávalos does not expect to find a silver bullet that reorganizes human brains or a gene or pathway that’s going to revolutionize neurodegenerative research.
Nonetheless, in and of itself, the study suggested opportunities for further research and exploration into the effects of captivity on animals in general and, in particular, on their mental processes, which are affected by changes in conditions and needs in their environment.
A foundation for future work
Maria Alejandra Bedoya Duque
The study, which was recently published in the journal Biology Letters, grew out of a two-month internship Bedoya did at Stony Brook in which she studied the brains of four captive shrews and four wild animals. The analysis of the results involved numerous calls and discussions when she returned to Colombia to finish her undergraduate degree.
At the end of the summer, Bedoya was “going to present her work internally at Stony Brook,” explained William Thomas, a postdoctoral researcher in Dávalos’s lab and one of Bedoya’s mentors throughout the project. “Instead, she turned it into a paper.”
Thomas appreciated how Bedoya “put in a lot of work to make sure she got this out,” he said.
The shrew’s brain changed after two months in captivity, which is about 20 percent of their total lifespan, as shrews live an average of one year.
“We don’t know what the limits are,” in terms of the effect of timing on triggering changes in the shrew’s brain, Thomas said. “We don’t know how early the captive effect is.”
Thomas suggested that this paper could “lay the foundation for future studies with larger samples.”
Dávalos was pleased that the study resulted in a meaningful paper after a summer of gathering data and several years of analyzing and presenting the information.
“I’m immensely proud and happy that we had this unexpected finding,” said Dávalos. “It is one of the most gratifying experiences as a mentor.”
A launching pad
Bedoya, who graduated from Universidad Icesi in 2023 and is applying to graduate school after working as an adjunct professor/ lecturer at her alma mater, is pleased her work led to a published paper.
“I was so happy,” said Bedoya. “If it hadn’t been for [Thomas] and [Dávalos] cheering me on the whole time when I came back to Colombia, this study could have ended as my fellowship ended.”
Bedoya believes the experience at Stony Brook provided a launching pad for her career.
“It is a very valuable experience to have conducted this research all the way up to publication,” she said.
Thomas and Dávalos each recalled their own first scientific publication.
“I’m happy and relieved when they come out,” said Thomas. “While internal validation is important, the pleasure comes from providing something that you believe can help society.”
Dávalos’s first publication involved some unusual twists and turns. When she submitted her first paper about deforestation in the Andes, the journal wrote back to her in a letter telling her the paper was too newsy. She submitted it to several other publications, including one that indicated they had a huge backlog and weren’t publishing new research.
When it was published, the paper didn’t receive much attention. That paper, and another on her thoughts about how peace between the Colombian government and the FARC rebels might be worse for the rainforest, have since been cited frequently by other researchers.
Winter brain
At around the same time that Bedoya published her work about the effect of captivity on the shrew brain, Thomas published a study in the journal eLife in which he examined how shrew brains shrank during the winter and then regrew during the spring.
This work could offer genetic clues to neurological and metabolic health in mammals. Thomas focused on the hypothalamus, measuring how gene expression shifts seasonally.
A suite of genes that change across the seasons were involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis as well as genes that regulate cell death that might be associated with reductions in brain size.
Temperature was the driver of these seasonal changes.
The genes involved in maintaining the blood brain barrier and calcium signaling were upregulated in the shrew compared with other mammals.
After the winter, the shrew’s brains recovered their size, although below their pre-winter size.
Originally from Syracuse, Thomas attended SUNY Albany.
When he was younger, he entertained ideas of becoming a doctor, particularly as his grandmother battled ALS. On his first day shadowing a physician, he felt claustrophobic in the exam room and almost passed out.
He wanted to be outside instead of in “the squeaky clean floors” of a doctor’s office, he explained in an email.
As a scientist, he feels he can meld his passion for nature and his desire to help those who suffer from disease.
Welcome to the 37th edition of Paw Prints, a monthly column for animal lovers dedicated to helping shelter pets find their furever home
Goumba
Meet Goumba
With a name signifying “close friend or companion,” this approximately ten-year-old Terrier mix is Goumba, up for adoption at Little Shelter in Huntington. A willing accomplice in planning all your upcoming adventures, he knows it’s not the destination but who you travel with that makes the journey unforgettable. Happy to be by your side, or most preferably in your lap, Goumba is warm, affectionate, and the perfect stress reducer in these challenging times. A bit of an introvert, you can easily win him over with a kind word and a tasty treat. If Goumba sounds like he would fit well into your family, stop by and say hello today! 631-368-8770
*Goumba is fully grown and mostly housebroken*
Buffy
Meet Buffy
Possessing a strong moral compass, intelligence, and determination, this 1.5 year old Terrier mix is Buffy, available for adoption at Little Shelter in Huntington. Like any vampire slayer, she relies on girl power to get things done, is ready to face any challenge, and displays optimism about her future.
While her initial presentation is one of resourcefulness and independence, she is affectionate and loving, welcoming attention and pets. Buffy’s core strength is her undying loyalty and she is hoping to find a family she can stand by….and one that will stand by her. “The good guys are always stalwart and true.” Welcome a bit of sassiness and a whole lot of love into your home..stop by to meet Buffy today! 631-368-8770
*Buffy is fully grown and mostly housebroken*
Macho
Meet Macho
This one-year-old, goofy, and athletic pup at the Brookhaven Animal Shelter is ready to bring some fun and energy into your life! Macho loves going on walks—though he is very strong on leash and would benefit from leash training. This playful guy also loves to run and has a blast playing with his favorite stuffies. Macho is still learning some manners, especially when it comes to not jumping, but he’s a fast learner and takes corrections well.
With his high energy, Macho would do best in a home with kids 14 and up who can keep up with his playful spirit. he is looking for a family who can give him the structure, love, and playtime he needs. If you’re ready for an energetic, fun-loving pup to join your family, Macho might be the perfect match!
If you would like to meet Macho, please apply through the shelter’s matchmaker application at www.brookhavenny.gov/152/Animal-Shelter. 631-451-6950
Meet Mr. Dreamy – Update: Mr. McDreamy has been adopted!
This lovable, 50-pound bundle of bulldog charm is patiently waiting at Kent Animal Shelter’s temporary location at Bide-a-Wee, 118 Old Countrty Road, Westhampton for his furever home. After being left homeless at a local municipal shelter, this charming three-year-old pup was fortunate enough to catch the attention of Kent Animal Shelter. With his adorable demeanor, irresistible smile and a wagging tail that seems to echo his hopeful spirit, Mr. Dreamy embodies the essence of companionship that countless families seek. He thrives in the company of other animals, making him a perfect addition to any home.Come meet him today! 631-727-5731
Meet Candied Yams
Candi was one of several cats abandoned on Dec. 4 when their pet parents moved. Now being cared for at the Smithtown Animal Shelter, she is ready for her furever home. This beautiful six-year-old tabby is a little shy and low key at first, but with some time and patience will warm up nicely. She is used to living with multilple cats and can be adopted alone or with one of her housemates. She is good around calm dogs and has no known medical conditions. Come meet her today! 631-360-7575
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DID YOU KNOW? The Town of Smithtown Animal Shelter has announced the release of its first-ever 2025 Animal Shelter Calendar, showcasing irresistible cats and dogs currently in need of loving homes. This limited-edition calendar is not just a delightful addition to your desk or home but also a heartfelt reminder of the importance of pet adoption with a suggested donation of $30. All of the proceeds (100%) will directly benefit the shelter, funding critical emergency and veterinary care in the coming year. Call 631-360-7575 to reserve your copy to pick up during shelter hours.
Rescue is a lifestyle. Adopt, don’t shop.
Check out the next Paw Prints in the issue of February 20.
Paw Prints is generously sponsored by Mark T. Freeley, Esq.
Welcome to the 37th edition of Paw Prints, a monthly column for animal lovers dedicated to helping shelter pets find their furever home
Meet Mr. Dreamy – Update: Mr. McDreamy has been adopted! 
Meet Candied Yams
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