Latest news with #JohnDebacker
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
28 cats discovered lifeless in New York home after neighbours complained of foul odour
At least 28 cats were discovered dead and more than 100 others rescued from a house in Bohemia, New York, after neighbours complained of a noxious smell coming from the property, according to a report by the New York Post. Responding to the complaints, the Bohemia Fire Department entered the home, only to be confronted with scenes of unimaginable squalor. Dozens of cats were found living in filthy and overcrowded conditions. Upon further inspection, authorities found around two dozen dead cats stuffed inside a freezer, with the remains of baby kittens discovered in old pet boxes, reported the New York Post. The interior was so unsanitary that one rescue worker vomited and was rushed to the emergency room. 'Someone who was in there yesterday started vomiting and had to be taken to the hospital,' said John Debacker, head of Long Island Cat and Kitten Solutions. Tammy Gatto, a volunteer with the same rescue group, shared her disturbing experience: 'It was crazy. There had to be like, a hundred Chewy boxes in the entire house. They were scattered in every room, and there were little bodies, dead bodies, inside.' She added that she needed to take five breaks during her two-and-a-half hours inside the house, despite wearing a hazmat suit and respirator. Frightened kittens were seen trying to escape through windows, and many rescue workers were scratched while trying to catch them. Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County SPCA, confirmed the poor health of the rescued animals. 'We were called in and we found 28 dead cats, over 50 cats alive. Those cats are right now with volunteer veterinarians, and they have a long road ahead of recovery. They're all very sick – three of the cats had to be euthanised last night,' he said. Neighbours told authorities that 75-year-old homeowner Steven Glantz had been feeding stray cats for years. Following the death of his wife, he reportedly became overwhelmed and unable to care for the animals. With support from the Town of Islip Animal Shelter, the rescued cats are being treated in a mobile clinic. The SPCA is now seeking $10,000 in donations to aid the ongoing treatment and recovery of the surviving animals.
NDTV
05-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Over 25 Cats Found Dead In US House After Neighbours Report Unpleasant Odour
At least 28 cats were found dead and another 100 were rescued from a Bohemia home in New York after neighbours reported a strong, unpleasant odour emanating from the property. The house, once worth $7,25,000 (approx. Rs 6 crore), has now been declared unfit to live in. The Bohemia Fire Department reached the property for investigation when they saw dozens of cats roaming freely, living in filthy and overcrowded conditions. Upon investigation, the BFD found about two dozen dead cats stuffed inside the freezer and the bodies of baby kittens in old pet boxes, reported The NY Post. They also said the state of the house was so filthy that one of the rescue workers threw up after going inside and had to be taken to the emergency room. Roy Gross, the chief of the Suffolk County SPCA, said the rescued cats were in poor health. John Debacker, head of Long Island Cat and Kitten Solutions, said, "Someone who was in there yesterday started vomiting and had to be taken to the hospital." Tammy Gatto, a volunteer with Long Island Cat and Kitten Solutions, said, "It was crazy. There had to be like, a hundred Chewy boxes in the entire house. They were scattered in every room, and there were little bodies, dead bodies, inside." Mr Gross said that over 50 cats were immediately taken to the vets; three had to be euthanised last night because they were very sick. He said, "We were called in and we found 28 dead cats, over 50 cats alive. Those cats are right now with volunteer veterinarians, and they have a long road ahead of recovery. They're all very sick - three of the cats had to be euthanized last night," he added. Ms Gatto said that she had to take five breaks in her two-and-a-half hours spent in the house. Even though they were wearing hazmat suits and had respirators on, the smell was too much to handle, she said. Rescue workers found frightened kittens attempting to escape through the windows. When they caught them, many of the workers ended up with scratches. The neighbours told the authorities that the owner of the house, identified as Steven Glantz, 75, had been feeding stray cats in his backyard for years who were eventually taken inside. But after his wife died a few years ago, he felt alone and couldn't take care of the felines. With help from the Town of Islip Animal Shelter, the cats are being kept and cared for in the mobile clinic run by the animal rescue group. The SPCA is looking for $10,000 (approx. 8.2 lakh) in donations to help in the treatment of sick cats.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Newborn kittens rescued from wrecked car on Long Island moments before demolition
MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. (PIX11) – A litter of kittens was rescued from the inside of a wrecked car at a junkyard moments before it was scheduled to be demolished Wednesday, according to John Debacker, the vice president of Long Island Cat Kitten Solution. The five newborn kittens, no older than two weeks old, were found huddled together on the car's floor. More Long Island News One video showed broken glass and rubbage next to the kittens. The fluffy felines were removed from the junkyard and bottle-fed overnight by a good friend of Debacker's in Levittown, New York. Debacker said the mother cat was tracked down and reunited with her kittens. Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
