Tags Posts tagged with "Suffolk County SPCA Chief Roy Gross"

Suffolk County SPCA Chief Roy Gross

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One of the dogs rescued from the East Patchogue home. Photo from Suffolk County SPCA

Detectives from the Suffolk County SPCA have charged an East Patchogue woman with animal cruelty and endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person after the execution of a search warrant on her residence.

Roy Gross, Chief of the Suffolk SPCA, said that its detectives charged Martha Gillette, 53, with multiple misdemeanor animal cruelty charges, alleging that Gillette neglected nine canines in her care by failing to provide a safe and clean environment.

Upon executing a search warrant in the morning of January 11, detectives found the home the dogs were confined inside had noxious air and odor of feces, urine, and ammonia were so pungent it made SPCA personal cough and gag upon entry and stung their eyes. The dogs found indoors had no access to water and were in an overcrowded, small pen. The conditions inside were materially harmful to the mental, emotional, and physical well being of a vulnerable adult living in the home under Gillette’s care.

Gillette was arrested on the same day, booked at the Suffolk County Police Department 5th Precinct and released. The residence has since been placarded as unsafe for occupancy by Brookhaven Town Code Officials. Gillette is scheduled to appear at First District Court in Central Islip, on January 31st , 2025. The dogs are being socialized.

Animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Suffolk County. If you witness any incident of animal cruelty or neglect in Suffolk County please contact the Suffolk County SPCA at (631) 382-7722.

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Photo from Suffolk County SPCA
Detectives from the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have charged a Middle Island woman with animal cruelty after the execution of a search warrant on her residence.

Suffolk County SPCA Chief Roy Gross stated that that its detectives charged Kathleen O’Brien, 63, with multiple misdemeanor animal cruelty charges, alleging that O’Brien neglected her five-year-old Labrador type dog by failing to provide a safe and clean environment.

Photo from Suffolk County SPCA

Upon executing a search warrant in the evening of December 11,  detectives found the dog confined inside the home that had garbage, filth, grime, hundreds of dead flies, feces, and urine strewn about. The noxious air and odor of urine, ammonia, rot, feces, and food were so pungent it made SPCA personal cough and gag upon entry and stung their eyes. The dog had large areas of missing fur, red irritated skin, open sores around the ears, overgrown nails, and a difficult time walking once on flat ground outside the debris filled home. The interior had garbage and clutter piled over five feet high in spaces the dog had to crawl over. Filthy food and water bowls were noted inside.

O’Brien was arrested on December 13 at Stony Brook University Hospital and released. The residence has since been placarded as unsafe for occupancy by Brookhaven Town Code Officials. The dog is healing at a local animal shelter. O’Brien is scheduled to appear in First District Court in Central Islip on December 27.

The Suffolk County SPCA remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all animals in the county. If you witness any incident of animal cruelty or neglect in Suffolk County, please contact the Suffolk County SPCA at 631-382-7722.

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Photo courtesy of Suffolk County SPCA
Detectives from the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals charged a Hauppauge woman with animal cruelty on Dec. 15 after a lengthy investigation. The announcement was made in a press release on Dec. 18.

Roy Gross, Chief of the Suffolk SPCA, said that its detectives charged Roseanne Lucrezia, 61, with misdemeanor animal cruelty charges, alleging that Lucrezia neglected her fourteen-year-old Husky type dog by failing to provide required medical treatment and sustenance resulting in pain.

The dog’s teeth were fractured, rotting, and broken and exhibited signs of significant physical pain upon examination of the mouth by Veterinarians. A malodorous smell indicating poor care was detected from the dog’s mouth. The dog’s body condition was significantly thin with the bones of the spine, ribs, and hips visible.

Lucrezia was arrested on December 15 at her residence, booked at the Suffolk County Police Department’s Fourth Precinct, and released. She is scheduled to appear in First District Court In Central Islip on December 27, 2024.

The Suffolk County SPCA remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all animals in the county. If you witness any incident of animal cruelty or neglect in Suffolk County, please contact the Suffolk County SPCA at 631-382-7722.

The life of Linx is becoming an all too familiar tale in recent months.

A 3-year old German shepherd, Linx, who didn’t receive effective training from his owners, was abandoned a year ago, making it difficult for him to function as a normal dog. Although he’s not conventionally affectionate, Linx is eager to play and run, which means he is best suited for an outdoor and active life.

“He has low odds of finding the right situation,” said Leigh Wixson, animal shelter supervisor in the Town of Smithtown Animal Shelter & Adoption Center, where Linx currently resides.

Some residents throughout Suffolk County bit off more than they could chew during the worst months of the pandemic, adding animals ranging from dogs and cats to guinea pigs, rats, rabbits and roosters to their brood.

Unfortunately for many of those animals, their new owners didn’t always do sufficient research to understand what their new pets needed and didn’t take the time to train them.

At the same time, as people have returned to work outside the house or have become concerned about their budgets amid high inflation and the potential for a recession this year, some people have brought their pets to shelters, or worse.

In the last few weeks, people have left kittens in Tanner Park in Copiague and have abandoned a dog in a motel room for days.

“How do you do something like that to an animal that loved you?” asked Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “Never mind it being illegal, it’s immoral.”

Gross said his department has been pursuing cases where people have attempted to discard their pets in ways that jeopardize animal safety.

He urged people who may not be as comfortable or capable of continuing to provide care for their animals to bring them to one of the county’s 10 municipal shelters.

People who mistreat their pets, by neglecting or putting them in dangerous situations, face fines and jail sentences, Gross said.

Dori Scofield, president of Port Jefferson Station-based Save-A-Pet Animal Shelter, said someone recently tied a dog to a fence near the shelter.

“The dog could have hung himself on our fence, could have gotten away and gotten killed, lost or injured,” she said. Fortunately, she said, the dog made it through the night.

Not a good gift

People who work at shelters urged those who adopt animals, particularly pets like larger breeds of dogs, to take the time to work with them.

“Between 10 months and two years, people have to focus on training,” Scofield said. Without the proper support and direction, some dogs develop behavioral issues.

The first two years of owning a dog are the hardest. “It’s like having a teenager,”  Wixson said. “You go through phases and then something clicks around two or three years old.”

Wixson added that every breed of dog has its quirks, which means that the adorable dalmatians from movies and other photogenic dogs don’t necessarily interact with their owners the way people might have expected.

“I have been attacked by more dachshunds and chihuahuas than any other breed,” Wixson said.

While people have surrendered or “donated” dogs, shelters have also had numerous calls about rabbits, roosters and other pets.

Scofield described rabbits as “awesome” pets, but cautioned that they are “high-maintenance” animals that require cleaning, feeding and attention.

The prospects for a domestic rabbit released into the wild are poor. A domesticated rabbit could get run over, starve or be attacked by predators, Gross said.

Wixson said she used to get one or two calls a week before the pandemic from people who couldn’t manage their pets. On Monday, she received five calls.

Some people have given pets to friends and family during birthdays and holidays, which works out as well, and sometimes worse, than when people receive gifts that are easier to return, like sweaters, ties, or toys.

“Giving an animal as a gift is not a good thing,” Gross said, “unless people are expecting it and this is what they want.”

As for the German shepherd Linx, Wixson said that, despite the odds, an adoption “can happen and we are always hopeful.” Wixson believes Linx would do “wonderfully well on a farm where people are outside and busy and there are many things going on around him.”

Leonardo “Leo” DiCatprio, the Eurasian Lynx that was loose and eventually captured on Long Island earlier this summer, has settled into his permanent home at the Holtsville Ecology Site and Animal Preserve. Joining the more than 100 wild and farm animals that reside at the Animal Preserve, Leo was revealed to the public in his new enclosure on Nov. 22.

“We are grateful that the DEC and SPCA felt the Ecology Site was the right environment for Leo and we are thrilled to have him among our residents,” said Brookhaven Highway Department Superintendent Daniel Losquadro. “However, we hope when people come to enjoy this facility and view the animals, they understand the dangers in keeping wild animals as pets. While we have no idea why Leo was being kept as a pet, we are very happy that he is safe and healthy at our facility.”

Since arriving at the Ecology Site in August after being cared for at Sweetbriar Nature Center, Leo has gained 15 pounds and enjoys various enrichment activities to stimulate his natural behaviors. He can often be seen running, stretching his legs, climbing, jumping and pouncing —performing all natural cat-like behaviors.

“The Suffolk County SPCA is pleased to have a close working relationship with the Holtsville Ecology Site and its wonderful, caring staff,” said Suffolk County SPCA Chief Roy Gross.

The Holtsville Ecology Site and Animal Preserve, 249 Buckley Road, Holtsville is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors can view the animals, free of charge, including peacocks and mustangs, a bobcat, an American black bear and an American bald eagle. Call 631-451-5330 for more information.