A hoarder was charged with animal cruelty after investigators found a filthy home filled with dozens of caged animals living in their own feces and urine — in what officials called one of the worst cases of animal abuse on Long Island.
Suffolk County SPCA officers arrived Tuesday with search warrants to the Ronkonkoma home of Linda Hart, 79, following a complaint they received about three to four dogs living in a disgusting environment, Chief of the Suffolk SPCA Roy Gross told The Post.
But once there, investigators found her house covered with thousands of maggots, flies and 49 pets caged throughout the residence, Gross said.
“There was not a room in the house that did not have cages in them with dogs in them, including the bathroom,” he told The Post, adding cats and six parrots were also inside.
“The dogs were living in their own feces, soaked in urine, severely matted.”
Gross said several local agencies descended into the home at 2478 Motor Parkway wearing hazmat suits because “the smell was so bad.”
Stomach-churning photos shared with The Post show pooches severely matted and Hart’s kitchen with barely an inch to move.
“It appears that she was a hoarder,” Gross said about Hart, who was slapped with 49 counts of animal cruelty on Tuesday.
Her home was condemned following the grisly discovery, according to officials.
The pets were found so badly treated that they’re not yet ready for adoption, Gross said.
“I don’t know what else to say other than it’s just a horrible, horrible situation that these animals suffered like this in that type of environment,” he added.
“That was probably one of the worst.”