Pet Hoarder Charged In 88-Count Indictment For Animal Cruelty: DA

QUEENS, NY — A 56-year-old Queens woman is facing an 88-count indictment and has been charged with animal cruelty after she kept more than 20 dogs and cats in a filthy, two-story home, prosecutors announced.

Elizabeth Grant, of Jackson Heights, is accused of keeping the animals in squalid conditions with feces and urine-caked floors throughout the house, prosecutors said.

When police executed a search warrant at the house, they found multiple cats dead inside, the presence of a strong odor of ammonia, feces, fur and urine on furniture and there was an infestation of flies as well as trash on the first floor, prosecutors said.

The animals at the house did not have access to clean water.

Twenty-six dogs and 12 cats were rescued from the home, prosecutors said.

A veterinarian examination determined that a 3-year-old Shih Tzu mix was extremely underweight, had matted fur infused with urine and feces, an inflamed skin condition and a corneal ulcer on her left eye.

In addition, a male Shih Tzu dog was dehydrated, emaciated and underweight. The dog was blind in his right eye, likely caused by a corneal rupture.

The veterinarian stated that the environment where the animals lived was completely inappropriate and insufficient to maintain their health. The overpowering odor made it difficult for the animals to breathe.

The overcrowding, unsafe and filthy conditions exacerbated medical problems and caused suffering, discomfort and pain.

The ammonia odor at Grant's home was so strong it caused eye irritation, and members of the NYPD and the ASPCA at the scene had to wear respirators and protective clothing.

“Pets are not collectibles. They require care, adequate food and water, and a clean place to live. Sadly, this defendant is charged with doing little more than accumulating pets and failing to provide the basic sustenance for life," District Attorney Melinda Katz said. "Three animals are dead as a result of this defendant’s alleged negligence and the others suffered from diseases and other ailments.”

The animals were relocated to the ASPCA’s Animal Recovery Center in Manhattan for immediate medical and behavioral care. Some of the animals demonstrated fearful behavior and entered ASPCA rehabilitation programs, where they received specialized treatment to overcome their fear.

Many of these cats and dogs have since been adopted into new homes.

If convicted, Grant faces up to two years in jail.