A United States Postal Service (USPS) employee was arrested in Stuart, Florida, after authorities found more than a hundred animals living in unsanitary conditions inside her home, the Martin County Sheriff's Office reported.
The detainee was identified as Gail Giustino, 77, who faces charges of animal cruelty and keeping animals confined without enough space to exercise.
The investigation began after authorities received a complaint that a postal worker was allegedly picking up or taking cats during her work trip.
They found more than 100 animals in cages, high temperatures and accumulation of waste
After several weeks of trying to enter the home without success, investigators obtained a court order and carried out a search on July 20.
Detectives, firefighters and animal control agents equipped with protective suits participated in the operation due to the conditions of the property.
According to authorities, the interior of the house had a strong odor, high temperatures due to the lack of air conditioning and ventilation, as well as a significant accumulation of waste.
More than 100 animals were found in the home, including approximately 70 cats and several dozen dogs, many of them in cages.
Rescuers indicated that several animals were in poor physical condition and showed signs of stress.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek called the case one of the most serious animal hoarding episodes he has seen in the jurisdiction.
The home had received dozens of citations
According to authorities, since 2014 the property had accumulated around 65 citations related to the conditions in which the animals were kept.
Budensiek indicated that the main objective of the investigation was to protect the animals and expressed that he believes that the woman needs mental health care.
Although authorities say the case could have led to dozens of animal cruelty charges, Giustino was charged with one count of animal cruelty and one count of improper confinement of animals.
The woman, a USPS employee since 1997, was released after posting $50,000 bail.
They continue to identify rescued pets
In the days after the operation, the Humane Society of Treasure Coast reported that it received 108 animals from the home.
During the rescue, four cats escaped from the property, although the authorities later managed to locate three of them. In addition, a friend of the accused handed over five other pets that had allegedly been left in her care.
The animal protection organization indicated that dozens of people have come to verify if any of the rescued pets correspond to animals that had disappeared months ago.
According to shelter officials, several families have already managed to reunite with their pets, in scenes that they described as deeply emotional. One of them was Linh Nguyen, who recovered her cat Patchy after searching for him for seven months.
The authorities have not reported when the judicial process against Giustino will continue.
