A Martin County, Florida sheriff called it the worst case of animal hoarding he’s seen in the county.
Behind the door of one home, dozens of cats and dogs had been living in conditions so severe that a hazmat team had to be called in.
Gail Giustino, 77, a postal worker, was arrested on July 20 and charged with two misdemeanors, including animal cruelty, after Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek announced the case in a press conference.
The investigation began after officers received a report that a female postal worker was collecting cats along her delivery route.
When deputies made contact with Giustino, she was uncooperative and wouldn’t say how many animals she had inside her home, prompting officers to execute a search.
What they found was heartbreaking. At least 70 cats and an unknown number of dogs were living in squalor, with some areas of the home covered in what Sheriff Budensiek described as a foot of animal feces.
Giustino reportedly admitted she may have also placed up to 20 additional animals at other facilities around the county.
Despite the severity of the conditions, Budensiek was clear that he doesn’t believe Giustino set out to harm the animals. “Clearly this is a hoarder scenario… [the] worst case of animal hoarding that I’ve seen in Martin County,” he told reporters, adding that she seemed to be trying to do the right thing in the wrong way.
Authorities chose to file only two charges instead of the 160 they could have pursued, with the primary goal being to seize and save the animals rather than punish her further.
This wasn’t the first time Giustino had come to the attention of authorities.
She had reportedly been cited up to 65 times over the years for confining animals in her home, and code enforcement had previously stepped in to help, including installing air conditioning and clearing debris blocking the entrance.
But officials say she slipped back into old patterns over the last decade.
Now, Giustino will go through the court process, with hopes she receives a mental health evaluation and support.
Authorities say they hope she won’t be allowed to have more than one or two animals going forward, giving both her and the rescued cats and dogs a better chance at a safer future.
Do you think mental health support should be part of the response in animal hoarding cases like this one?
Source:
people – “At Least 70 Cats and Dogs Found Living in ‘Horrific’ Conditions at Home of Florida Postal Worker”