Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

200 Dead Cats Found in N.J. Woman's Home
Yahoo/AP ^ | 5/23/05

Posted on 05/23/2005 3:38:11 PM PDT by Clemenza

A woman who founded a "no-kill" animal shelter was charged with health code and animal welfare violations after 200 dead cats were discovered rotting in garbage bags in her backyard.

Marlene Kess, who has built a reputation in Manhattan as a caretaker of homeless and dying cats, had 48 cats inside her house, including 38 in one room, authorities said.

Out back, 200 vermin-infested cat corpses were stuffed into garbage bags and apparently were going to be buried in a large hole that had recently been dug, said Sgt. Joseph Bierman of the state's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The cats were discovered after neighbors complained about the stench.

"Oh my God, it was awful," said Michael Fowler of the Associated Humane Societies. "The smell was horrible."

Kess, 56, is the founder and executive director of Kitty-Kind, which runs one of New York City's few no-kill shelters.

She said the cats died of natural causes. State SPCA spokesman Matt Stanton told The Star-Ledger of Newark an investigation into the death of the cats is "ongoing."

A longtime resident of Greenwich Village, Kess moved to East Orange in July.

"I take very good care of them," Kess told reporters Friday. "People who know me know there's no cruelty involved."

Kess was cited for health code violations, including keeping an unlawful number of animals, harboring dead animals and causing an environmental hazard with the corpses. The SPCA, which enforces the state's animal cruelty laws, charged Kess with 38 counts of failing to properly shelter cats.

Authorities are allowing Kess to keep the 48 cats in her home because she promised to separate the sick animals from the healthy ones, Bierman said.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; US: New Jersey
KEYWORDS: crazycatlady
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061 next last
Dead Kitties are no fun...
1 posted on 05/23/2005 3:38:12 PM PDT by Clemenza
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Clemenza
Star Ledger version:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1407116/posts

2 posted on 05/23/2005 3:39:41 PM PDT by Clemenza (Regrets, I've had a few...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza
A woman who founded a "no-kill" animal shelter was charged with health code and animal welfare violations after 200 dead cats were discovered rotting in garbage bags in her backyard.

Doesn't look like a "no-kill" shelter to me....

3 posted on 05/23/2005 3:40:12 PM PDT by zlala (I used to have a handle on life but it broke.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza

Good grief. What is it with aging American women and dead cats?


4 posted on 05/23/2005 3:40:49 PM PDT by k2blader ("A kingdom of conscience ... That is what lies at the end of Crusade.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza

I believe someone else posted this or a similar story last week.

Animal hoarders or collectors, which is what this woman appears to me, have an actual mental illness. So I feel for this woman. She thinks she is doing the right thing with these cats, but it's excessive. She is trying to save the world, and it's not possible for one person to do.


5 posted on 05/23/2005 3:41:44 PM PDT by fatnotlazy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza

I wonder what her Freeper name is?


6 posted on 05/23/2005 3:43:15 PM PDT by Freebird Forever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: zlala
>Doesn't look like a "no-kill" shelter to me....

If they starved to death,
then she technically didn't
really "kill" the cats . . .

7 posted on 05/23/2005 3:46:27 PM PDT by theFIRMbss
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza
Q: What do you call 200 dead cats rotting in garbage bags in the backyard?

A: A good start.

8 posted on 05/23/2005 3:46:41 PM PDT by fhayek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza


http://www.kittykind.org/

meow!


9 posted on 05/23/2005 3:47:03 PM PDT by PetroniusMaximus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fatnotlazy
Animal hoarders or collectors, which is what this woman appears to me, have an actual mental illness. So I feel for this woman. She thinks she is doing the right thing with these cats, but it's excessive. She is trying to save the world, and it's not possible for one person to do.

I agree with you, it's like they've got to save the world by collecting huge numbers of dogs or cats. They can't possibly take care of all of them, but they're crazy and they think they're doing good because they're humanitarian animal lovers. Meanwhile most of the animals have a terrible short life, but that doesn't register.

10 posted on 05/23/2005 3:50:36 PM PDT by xJones
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza

In that house, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a...well...you know.


11 posted on 05/23/2005 3:52:34 PM PDT by thesharkboy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fhayek

I like your way of thinking!


12 posted on 05/23/2005 3:54:05 PM PDT by concordKIWI
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: k2blader
women and dead cats

Although the majority of animal hoarders are older women, men are also hoarders when it comes to just about everything else. It is a mental illness and is said to have started at childhood. Besides animals, people wll hoard newspapers, magazines, MacDonalds bags, styrofoam, things they pick up in the trash, etc. until it fills their homes, garages, and basements. They are very similar to the bag people on the streets. The only difference is they have a home.

13 posted on 05/23/2005 3:54:34 PM PDT by unbalanced but fair
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza; PetroniDE; Lady Jag; Slings and Arrows

Now that's organization!

14 posted on 05/23/2005 3:54:45 PM PDT by martin_fierro (_____oooo_( ° ¿ ° )_oooo_____)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza
I instinctively brought my shirt up over my nose as I read this article.
15 posted on 05/23/2005 3:55:41 PM PDT by BBell
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: unbalanced but fair

I hope my loved ones and myself are never struck with such a mental illness. (So far, so good.. :-)


16 posted on 05/23/2005 3:58:15 PM PDT by k2blader ("A kingdom of conscience ... That is what lies at the end of Crusade.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza
My mother runs a no kill shelter for "strays in need" in her basement.

She recently was charged with zoning violations and had to vacate 40 cats from the premises. There are now 10 cats for every person living in the house.

My garden, in her back yard, rocks the world, and we have never had a problem... Unless the dogs dig too deep...

Enough said, cats are varmints, (excepting of course viking cats}.
17 posted on 05/23/2005 3:59:44 PM PDT by mmercier (the king in yellow)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza
She could have taken care of the situation with one, well publicized "Wing Night". and some free beer.
18 posted on 05/23/2005 4:00:05 PM PDT by Eagles6 (Dig deeper, more ammo.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xJones; fatnotlazy
>Animal hoarders or collectors, which is what this woman appears to me, have an actual mental illness
>>I agree with you, it's like they've got to save the world by collecting huge numbers of dogs or cats. They can't possibly take care of all of them

A lot of Freepers
have tangled with posters who
seemingly want to

"collect/hoard" patients
who are terminally ill.
Freepers have wondered

at the deep fury
such posters respond with if
their goals are questioned.

Is it possible
"actual mental illness"
might be at work that

manifests itself
in hopeless imperatives
to "save" what you can't?

19 posted on 05/23/2005 4:01:15 PM PDT by theFIRMbss
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Freebird Forever

Very funny, Mister.


20 posted on 05/23/2005 4:01:52 PM PDT by Finger Monkey (H.R. 25, Fair Tax Act - A consumption tax which replaces the income tax, SS tax, death tax, etc.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson