Former Nun in Philly charged with animal cruelty

Former Nun Cited For 62 Counts Of Animal Cruelty
Neighbors: Woman Couldn't Say No To Taking In Homeless Animals

PHILADELPHIA -- The SPCA was literally chasing down some animals as they were taken out of a Mayfair row home Wednesday.

Neighbors said the women who owns the home is a former nun who just couldn't say no to taking in homeless animals.

Police said the woman was cited for 62 counts of animal cruelty, meaning she could have to pay $43,000 worth of fines.

Until further notice, officials said she can't go in the Castor Gardens neighborhood home and she'll have to pay to have it cleaned up Thursday.

Animal control workers wore masks Wednesday to avoid the smell that was coming from the home that contained 46 cats and 16 dogs. All of them were placed in Philadelphia Animal Control and Pennsylvania SPCA vehicles.

"I'm surprised there was that many animals," said one woman.

But neighbors were not surprised, NBC 10's John Blunt reported. The stench from the animals has overwhelmed this neighborhood for more than two years, according to residents.

Terry Henry, who moved in a few doors away, said she took action after she over the weekend.

"When I was at work yesterday, I made a phone call. I called the SPCA and told them it stunk -- it smelled like a dead body. That's exactly what it smelled like," Henry said.

There were so many cats and dogs to collect that the SPCA had to keep bringing in more vehicles to haul them away.

The city's Department of Licenses and Inspections condemned the home.

Neighbors told Blunt that the former nun, one of the two women who lived there -- she was outside the home Wednesday wearing Phillies T-shirt -- had good intentions that went awray.

She said nothing to reporters.

But the SPCA's Dr. Ravi Murarka did, telling Blunt the dogs were very sick from ammonia fumes coming from the widespread animal waste inside the home.

Some SPCA workers wore masks handling the sicken animals stacked in cages.

A friend of the woman who cared for the animals said she meant well.

"Don't look at it as something that is a terrible thing. She did things out of her heart. She did what she could to help lost animals, animals that couldn't be placed," said Helen Pasko, of Mayfair.

But SPCA workers disagreed, saying the animals were held in unsanitary confinement and calling the incident a case of animal hoarding.

Officials are continuing to investigate.

But SPCA workers disagreed, saying the animals were held in unsanitary confinement and calling the incident a case of animal hoarding.