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Florida mail carrier accused of snatching pets on route, trapping 100-plus cats and dogs in ‘hoarding’ house
A 77-year-old Florida mail carrier has been arrested after authorities found more than 100 cats and small dogs in allegedly squalid conditions at her Stuart home. The Martin County sheriff described it as the worst animal-hoarding case he had seen, and the investigation is expanding as further animals are recovered and some are reunited with owners.
Gail Giustino was arrested on 20 July after animals were found in cages reportedly filled with faeces. Sheriff John Budensiek said she had been collecting cats encountered along her postal route; the scale of the rescue has raised concerns that pets may have been taken from local residents.
In short
- Florida mail carrier arrested after more than 100 animals were found at her home.
- Authorities describe conditions as severely unsanitary.
- Some rescued pets have been reunited with their owners.
Explained simply
Animal hoarding is when someone keeps more animals than they can properly care for, often leaving them in overcrowded or unsafe conditions. In this case, the animals were found at the home of Gail Giustino, a 77-year-old postal worker in Martin County, Florida.
The Martin County sheriff’s office is investigating how the animals came to be there and whether any belonged to local residents. That matters because some pets may have been taken from their owners, while others may have been stray animals; authorities are also working to care for the animals and identify their owners.