arizonarepublic.com / Arizona Persian cats rescue

One of 74 thirsty, sick Persian cats is held down by an Arizona Humane Society rescue worker so it can be given IV fluids. The cats were taken to an animal hospital; their owner faces neglect charges.
Photo by Suzanne Starr

74 ill cats found in Phoenix home

By Carlos Miller

The Arizona Republic
Jan. 31, 2003

Police discovered 74 malnourished, infected and dehydrated cats Thursday in the north Phoenix home of a woman who described herself as a breeder of Persian cats.

"The cats were filthy," said Kim Noetzel, spokeswoman for the Arizona Humane Society. "They had urine and feces in their coats. In some cases, their furs were so tightly matted that it was cutting off their circulation."

The Humane Society removed the cats and placed them in an animal hospital, Noetzel said. All the Persian cats had upper-respiratory infections.

Police say they are seeking misdemeanor charges against the woman, whose name was not released.

"This is more of a neglect issue than a cruelty issue," Phoenix police Lt. Wallace Kemp said.

Police say a tile worker hired to work inside the woman's house in the 14400 block of North 58th Street called them after entering the house and finding the cats, most of which were held in filthy cages in the garage.

"She said she was a breeder, but I don't know how she could have sold the cats in that condition," Noetzel said.

from azhumane.org

AHS Rescues Cats from Deplorable Conditions

Jan 31, 2003, 9:00am

AHS RESCUES CATS FROM "DEPLORABLE" CONDITIONS

Pet Owner Could Face Numerous Animal Cruelty Counts

(PHOENIX) – The Arizona Humane Society today rescued 74 sick and injured cats from filthy cages in a Phoenix home.

The cats – all longhaired Persians – are now in protective custody in The AHS hospital.  They are receiving extensive veterinary treatment for a myriad of illnesses and injuries.  All of the cats are suffering from severe upper-respiratory infections; have matted coats caked with feces and urine; and are thin and dehydrated.  Several of the cats had untreated wounds.  In one case, a cat's eye was bulging out of his head.  Another cat had such severe matting of the fur that it had cut off circulation to his hind quarters and the tissue is necrotic.

"These cats are in terrible shape and the conditions in which they were forced to live were deplorable," said Frank Corvino, AHS Field Operations Manager.  "We don't know how long these cats suffered under these circumstances, but this certainly did not happen overnight."

The unidentified woman who lives in the home told AHS rescuers that the cats are hers.  She could now face 74 counts of animal cruelty.

Phoenix Police called AHS rescuers to the home in the 14000 block of 58th Street (just north of Thunderbird Road) at around noon today after finding the cats in the garage and bedroom of the home.  The cats were in filthy cages piled one on top of the other.  It took about three hours for rescuers to impound all of the cats.  Several of the cats required emergency care for dehydration and injuries at the scene.

Corvino said the cats will remain in protective custody pending the outcome of the case.

Neglected Persian Cats to Remain in AHS Protective Custody

Feb 12, 2003, 2:18pm

Neglected Persian Cats to Remain in AHS Protective Custody

(PHOENIX) – A Phoenix Municipal Court judge ruled today that The Arizona Humane Society can keep 72 sick and neglected Persian cats in protective custody, despite a bid by the cats' owner to get them back.

After hearing more than two hours of often-graphic testimony, The Honorable Francisca Cota ruled that Phoenix Police had reasonable grounds for seizing the cats from the north Phoenix home of breeder Jeana Amicarella.  Cota also said that evidence presented by police and The Arizona Humane Society supported the claim that the cats were being subjected to cruel mistreatment.  All of the cats will remain in The AHS Second Chance Animal Hospital™ pending a possible criminal case.

Amicarella could face multiple counts of animal cruelty.

In addition to being housed in dirty, rusty wire cages, most of the cats required medical treatment for various conditions including eye ulcerations, ringworm, skin lesions and severe upper-respiratory infections.  Several of the cats had infected, bleeding wounds in their ears; others were dehydrated and emaciated.  Still others were so terribly matted, and had so much dried feces impacted on their hindquarters, that they could not move.  Several of the cats had developed infections on their hindquarters and required treatment with antibiotics.

The Arizona Humane Society rescued the cats from Amicarella's home on January 30.  Approximately 55 cats were being housed in rusty cages coated with cat feces and urine in the garage; the remainder were found caged in Amicarella's bedroom and bathroom.

Phoenix Police Officer Walter Peeling testified that he was called to the home near 58th Street and Thunderbird by a contractor who observed the cats and feared they were not receiving appropriate care.  Peeling said that he could smell the strong odor of cat urine from as far as 30 feet away and, upon entering the garage, noticed several cats that appeared to be "in very bad shape."  The officer said that several of the cats looked dead.  He said the cats had pus oozing from their eyes, were extremely matted and filthy, and were living in cramped quarters.

"There was one cat in particular whose right eyeball looked like it had exploded," he said.

AHS Chief Veterinarian Kathleen Croteau testified that many of the cats would have lost their eyesight, and others could have developed pneumonia and died, if police and The AHS had not intervened.

"Over 90 percent (of the cats) were affected by some form of disease, and 40 percent were severely affected by those diseases," she said.  "Fifty to 60 percent needed emergency veterinary treatment."

One of the cats had such a severe, untreated eye ulceration that the eyeball was protruding from the socket.  AHS veterinarians later removed the eye during emergency surgery.  Croteau testified that the eye had been untreated for at least two weeks, despite Amicarella's statement to police that the condition happened sometime between midnight and 9 a.m. on January 30.

Attorney Thomas M. Hoidal, who represented Amicarella, argued that although some of the cats were in need of medical attention, there was not sufficient evidence to support the seizure of all 72.  Hoidal stated that the cats had food, water and shelter; had not been abandoned; and were not inflicted with serious physical injury by Amicarella or anyone else.  As such, he argued, there was no evidence of cruel mistreatment as defined by law.  Hoidal called no witnesses on his client's behalf.  Amicarella did not take the stand.

Cota ruled that the conditions did, in fact, fit the definition of cruel mistreatment, and ordered that all of the cats remain with The AHS.

"We applaud Judge Cota's decision, as well as the careful consideration that she gave to this matter," said AHS President and CEO Cheryl Naumann.  "This is a great day for animals in Phoenix – not only for these 72 cats who will continue receiving round-the-clock care under our supervision, but for all companion animals in the city of Phoenix.  Clearly, it is not acceptable to subject companion animals to this level of neglect, to deny them of the medical care they need, or to house them in such filthy conditions.  Needless to say, we are very pleased."

Cat Owner Faces More Than 100 Counts in Alleged Cruelty Case

By AHS

Apr 10, 2003, 1:36pm

Cat Owner Faces More Than 100 Counts in Alleged Cruelty Case

Persian cats remain in custody of Arizona Humane Society following hearings

(PHOENIX) – City prosecutors today charged a Phoenix woman with 116 counts of animal cruelty, alleging that in addition to subjecting her 72 Persian cats to cruel neglect, she also failed to provide many of the cats with necessary medical care.

Jeana Amicarella, 51, pled not guilty.  She is scheduled to be back in Phoenix Municipal Court in May.

Prosecutors filed two complaints in a pre-trial hearing before The Honorable Michael K. Carroll.  The first complaint includes 72 counts of cruel neglect; the second includes 44 counts of intentionally, knowingly and recklessly failing to provide medical care for the cats, resulting in protracted suffering.  All of the counts are Class I misdemeanors.

On January 30th, The Arizona Humane Society and Phoenix Police responded to a call of possible animal neglect at Amicarella's home near 58th Street and Thunderbird Road.  AHS rescuers discovered 72 Persian cats – many of them sick, injured and severely matted – being housed in filthy wire cages.  Approximately 55 cats were found in the garage, confined to rusty cages coated with cat feces and urine.  Rescuers found the remainder of the cats caged in the bedroom and bathroom.

Phoenix Police Officer Walter Peeling, who was first on the scene, said that he could smell the strong odor of cat urine from as far away as 30 feet and, upon entering Amicarella's garage, noticed several cats that appeared to be "in very bad shape."  Some of the cats appeared as if they were dead, he said.  Others had pus oozing from their eyes; were extremely matted and filthy; and were living in cramped quarters.

According to AHS Chief Veterinarian Kathleen Croteau, more than 90 percent of the cats were affected by some form of disease and 40 percent were "severely affected" by those diseases.  At least 50 percent of the cats required emergency veterinary care, she said.

Seventy-one of the cats remain in custody of The AHS, where they continue to receive necessary veterinary care.

In a related matter, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge on Wednesday upheld an earlier ruling by a Phoenix city judge that AHS rescuers and Phoenix Police had the right to seize the 72 cats from Amicarella's home.  The judge also ruled that Amicarella could retain immediate custody of the cats by posting a $250,000 bond; having each of the cats examined by a veterinarian every month; and providing the court with written records of each of the veterinary examinations.

Rescued Persian Cats Ready for Adoption

Aug 4, 2003, 5:05pm

Accused Animal Abuser Settles Case; 41 Felines Need New Homes

(PHOENIX) – After spending six months in Protective Custody at the Arizona Humane Society, accruing more than $100,000 in care costs and receiving thousands of hours of attention, dozens of previously neglected Persian cats are ready for new homes.

Forty-one Persian cats rescued by the AHS and Phoenix Police in January will be available for adoption beginning at 10 a.m. this Friday, August 8th.  The cats will be at the AHS Sunnyslope Facility, 9226 N. 13th Ave., in Phoenix.  All cats will go home on "medical releases" and fees will range from zero to $55.  For adoption information, call (602) 997-7585, Ext. 2045.

AHS EAMT™ Guy Bell treats one of the severely neglected Persian cats rescued from the home of Jeana Amicarella on January 30.

The adoptions come on the heels of a settlement reached July 29 by the State of Arizona and defendant Jeana Amicarella, who was charged with 116 counts of animal cruelty.  Amicarella, 51, was accused of subjecting her 72 Persian cats to cruel neglect.

AHS rescuers and police found the cats in the garage, bedroom and bathroom of Amicarella's northeast Phoenix home on January 30.  The cats were housed in rusty wire cages coated with cat feces and urine.  Many of the cats were sick, injured and severely matted.  Amicarella was also accused of failing to provide veterinary care for the sick and injured cats – including one cat whose eye was so badly injured, it was infected and protruding from his skull; and several others who were so badly matted with feces that they could not walk.

Under the terms of the plea agreement Amicarella was placed on three years probation subject to the terms that follow (if she violates her probation, she could be jailed):

Amicarella must surrender custody of all but two of the cats to the AHS.  Regarding the two cats she was permitted to keep – she is NOT allowed to house them in cages. She must allow the AHS to conduct monthly welfare checks on the two cats and allow the AHS to inspect her home and property.  She must have the cats evaluated by a veterinarian every three months and provide the court with documentation of the examinations.

Amicarella may not have any more than the two returned cats at any time for any reason.  If the two cats that she retains produce kittens, she may not keep the kittens for more than 12 weeks.  In addition, she must notify the AHS if/when any kittens are born so the AHS can ensure that they are out of her house when they turn 12 weeks of age.

Amicarella may not own, shelter, feed, breed or house any other animals on her property or at any other location.

Amicarella must undergo court-ordered prescreening for possible psychiatric counseling.

Amicarella must appear in court every six months for a sentence review, and to ensure that she is complying with her probation.

"Ideally, we wanted her to sign over all of the cats to us," said AHS President & CEO Cheryl Naumann.  "However, the judge indicated that if the State continued to pursue this case and if it went to trial, Ms. Amicarella stood a good chance of getting back at least 10 of the cats, even if she were convicted.  Making matters worse, we would not have been able to conduct follow-up inspections on those cats."

  The issue stems from the State not being able to prove that at least 10 of the cats were in extremely poor health at the time they were impounded, Naumann explained.

"Ten of the cats were in fair health at the time of rescue," she added.  However, we firmly believe they would have succumbed to illness or injury if they would have remained in those terrible conditions much longer. A judge upheld the decision to impound all of the cats.

Nonetheless, those cats could have ended up right back where they came from -- without follow-up care.  That was a risk we could not take."

Initially, the AHS rescued 72 adult Persian cats from Amicarella's home.  Three of the females were pregnant at the time.  Thirteen kittens were born, but seven were stillborn, leaving six live kittens.  In addition, three of the adult cats had to be euthanized shortly after they were rescued due to severe medical conditions.  That left a total of 73 Persian cats/kittens in AHS care.  Of the 73, AHS veterinarians had to euthanize another 25 due to severe medical and temperament problems.

Seven cats that may have serious health problems in the future are being rescued by AHS staff and volunteers.  As such, 41 remaining cats (males and females ranging in age from 5 months to 10 years) will be available for adoption at the AHS beginning Friday.

"We had hoped to place all the cats up for adoption.  Unfortunately, many of them had been subjected to such horrific conditions for so long that their health was compromised," said Rob Miller, AHS hospital manager. "The conditions we diagnosed included chronic herpes virus which leads to re-occurring severe upper respiratory infection and severe chronic ringworm which can be transmitted to humans."

In addition, many of the cats had been caged for so long without human interaction that they exhibited aggression and fear around people, and were not deemed suitable for adoption.

Since January 30, the AHS has spent $100,556 on the cats and dedicated 2,553 staff and volunteer hours to their care.  In addition to extensive veterinary treatment, AHS staff and volunteers provided the cats with daily grooming, exercise and attention.

Of the 41 cats going up for adoption, Miller said some may be prone to medical problems because of their past living conditions, and could require specialized care.  As such, all of the cats will be sent home on a "medical release" and prospective adopters must agree to take on the responsibility of providing veterinary care in the future should it become necessary.  In addition:

All adopters will be carefully prescreened;

No one household may adopt more than two of the Persian cats;

All adopters must sign a document to verify they are not affiliated with Amicarella in any way.

© Copyright - azhumane.org

My "911: Afterthoughts" Site

[Read below from newyorkpost.com. Wow, a happy ending!]

GRITTY KITTY FOUND ALIVE

By KIERAN CROWLEY
PRECIOUS LIFE:

D.J. Kerr thought her beloved Precious was a goner amid the Twin Towers collapse - but the feisty feline has nine lives.
- NYP: Michael Norcia

October 2, 2001 -- Meet the miracle kitty who survived 18 days without food amid the debris of ground zero.
Emergency workers rescued Precious the cat from the debris-covered roof of a damaged apartment building across from the World Trade Center.
The 9-pound Persian suffered eye injuries, burns to her paws and smoke and dust inhalation.
But the feisty feline was able to stay alive by lapping from puddles of contaminated rainwater.
"It's unbelievable. It's a miracle. I can't believe she's alive," said D.J. Kerr, who owns Precious.
She and her husband Steve were out of town when the Twin Towers collapsed, blowing out the windows in their loft and filling it with flying glass, metal, dust and smoke.
A house sitter had been due to arrive at 10 a.m. that morning to take care of Precious, who had never been outside before.
The Kerrs figured Precious was a goner - especially since their seven-story building at 114 Liberty St. was damaged and will be unfit for occupancy for at least nine months.
But Saturday night, rescuers, responding to a report of a cat crying, used a recovery dog to corner the injured and terrified animal on the cluttered rooftop.
They then brought her to the nearby Suffolk County SPCA van, which had been treating rescue and search dogs for exhaustion and exposure.
Suffolk SPCA chief Roy Gross called Precious' survival "miraculous."
"This is the first good story we've heard," said Gross. "She has sores on her mouth from drinking out of puddles. She's dirty and dehydrated and her eyes were injured, but she's going to be OK."
He said Precious is alive because she was apparently able to "drink dirty water out of puddles."
Kerr said Precious needs more treatment for her eyes but is expected to make a good recovery.
"She lost two pounds and her little paws are burnt on the bottom because the top of the building was so hot, but she's going to live," Kerr said with a smile.
"I gave her her favorite food - sliced turkey. She was eating so fast because she was starved to death and she's drinking a lot of water . . . but she's so happy, she's just purring," Kerr said.