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“These animals do not have a voice of their own.”
Donna Amoscato was on the scene when 49 animals were taken from a Ronkonkoma home on Tuesday, April 2.
Original Story: Over 40 Animals Kept In 'Noxious' Conditions In Ronkonkoma
She described the grim circumstances as the animals were removed from the scene.
“Most of the cages were filled with newspaper, feces, urine, and hair,” she told Daily Voice. “Some of the longer-haired dogs came out completely matted, covered in feces or were missing hair. There were visible fleas.”
Amoscato has volunteered for over a year alongside a group of animal lovers with North Fork Country Kids (NFCK), a 501c3 rescue organization. She started as a pinup model with the Rescue Vixens, a group that does vintage-style shoots to raise money for NFCK before she began volunteering to go on rescue trips.
Cases like the Ronkonkoma one, she said, are why she continues her work with the organization.
“It is very sad to know that people do these things to animals,” she explained. “Even if it stems from a mental illness or not, these animals wind up paying the ultimate price.”
Out of the nearly 50 dogs, cats, and birds removed from the house, Amoscato and NFCK were able to take in four dogs and one cat from the shelter they were transported to, bringing them to a local veterinarian and immediately beginning a search for foster homes.
One of the dogs, a 9-month-old boxer puppy named Lily, is staying with Amoscato and her family.
At first, the alleged neglect that the pup faced was obvious, according to her new foster mom — she wouldn’t exit her crate by herself, and once she did, she couldn’t walk in a straight line and spun in circles (something Amoscato said is common of animals kept in cages for an extended period of time).
Nonetheless, her sweet personality quickly came out, and now Lily is “doing amazing.”
“We just adore this dog!!!” Amoscato exclaimed, stressing how important she believes it is to get as many of the rescued animals as possible out of shelters and into foster homes for rehabilitation and recovery.
Though NFCK’s rescues are settling in nicely to their new cage-free lives, the journey has not been easy.
As part of the rehabilitation, the furry friends had to be taken to a local vet to be treated for a myriad of injuries they reportedly suffered during their time in the Ronkonkoma home.
Lily, for example, is being treated for giardia and an abscess on her paw. Another is slowly recovering from major skin irritation.
Between the cost of vet treatments and care, the bills are piling up.
In an effort to keep up with these costs – and with hopes to be able to take out more of the rescued animals from shelters to be placed in foster homes – Amoscato started a GoFundMe on behalf of NFCK.
All donations will help the rescue pay the mounting vet bills, including ensuring that each animal is spayed or neutered.
As of publication, the campaign has raised $2,275 of its $3,500 goal.
Additionally, as the rescue needs dog and cat supplies, NFCK has set up a physical donation bin at the Hampton Bays Petco, located at 180 West Montauk Highway, to collect items such as:
- Dog and cat food;
- Animal beds;
- Collars;
- Puppy pads; and
- Leashes.
“This is a big undertaking for our small rescue,” Amoscato wrote in the fundraiser’s description.
“The more help we can get, the more animals we can help save.”
To view the GoFundMe, click here.
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