Woman charged with cruelty to animals, over 200 seized

— Photo provided by Sheriff Craig Apple

230 animals were seized from a Westerlo woman’s home on Tuesday, including 31 dogs in cages, without access to food and water. Nancy Wright, 56, is being charged with animal cruelty, according to the Albany County Sheriff’s Office.

WESTERLO — More than 200 animals were taken out of a home and yard in Westerlo on Tuesday after the Albany County Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous complaint.

Approximately 90 to 100 birds — including chickens, ducks, pigeons, and geese — and 55 to 60 rabbits, 12 goats, 31 dogs, and 12 cats were seized from Nancy L. Wright’s home at 12 Lobdell Road.

Sheriff’s deputies and the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society responded to the complaint and went to the residence for a welfare check.

“When we arrived at the home we could tell right away the conditions were bad,” said Sheriff Craig Apple. “She voluntarily agreed to let us inside the house but we decided to get a warrant just in case.”

A press release from the sheriff’s department described the living conditions as “unbearable due to the awful smell caused by the dogs and pigeons using the home as a toilet.”

Most of the animals did not have access to food or water, and were living in unsanitary conditions that “can cause injury, disease, or death of the animals,” the release said, and some of the caged dogs appeared to be aggressive.

 “We did not have to execute the warrant to seize the animals,” said Apple. “She decided to turn them over.”

Members of the Albany County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management County Animal Response Team, known as CART; the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; and members from the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, with assistance from its facilities in Rochester and Buffalo, will help with capturing and relocating the animals.

Some have already been transported to the animal shelter in Menands and provided with clean kennels, food, water, and veterinary evaluation.

Wright is charged with violation of Agriculture and Markets Law, Article 26, Section 373, Cruelty to Animals.

“We are working on getting her the help she needs,” said Apple. “Honestly, a mental health issue is usually a factor in these cases.”

Gary J. Patronek, a veterinarian with a Ph.D. in epidemiology, who founded the Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium in 1997, has written, “Hoarders often profess a great love for animals.”

 

— Photo provided by Sheriff Craig Apple
100 birds, including ducks, chicken, and pigeons were among the animals removed from Nancy Wright’s home in Westerlo. — Photo provided by Sheriff Craig Apple

 

Cats and dogs are the most often hoarded species, but wildlife, farm animals, and dangerous exotic animals have been collected too.

HARC has defined an animal hoarder as someone who has:

— Accumulated a large number of animals, which has overwhelmed that person’s ability to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, and veterinary care;

— Failed to acknowledge the deteriorating condition of the animals and the household environment; and

— Failed to recognize the negative effect of the collection on his or her own health and well-being, and on that of household members.

A hoarder, according to Patronek, may claim to be a pet rescuer yet, despite good intentions, hoarders are by definition oblivious to the extreme suffering, obvious to the casual observer, of their animals.

Wright is no longer living in her home, Apple said.

“She couldn’t live there,” said Apple. “The house was basically being used as a toilet for 100 animals.”

More Hilltowns News

  • Multiple maps and an oddly-worded legend has made it difficult to discern whether or not Berne has a historical district with enforceable zoning regulations but, while residents could be forgiven for any confusion, the district’s legitimacy is unambiguous from a legal point of view. 

  • A driver crashed into a Rensselaerville home early Sunday morning, causing it to go up in flames. The driver and an off-duty paramedic who assisted in the rescue both suffered only minor injuries while the occupants of the home were uninjured. 

The Altamont Enterprise is focused on hyper-local, high-quality journalism. We produce free election guides, curate readers' opinion pieces, and engage with important local issues. Subscriptions open full access to our work and make it possible.