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ASPCA removes more than 100 cats from three NYC homes in a single day
By
Ryan Kost
Published Aug 8, 2026
Modified Aug 8, 2026
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Adam Gray/Getty Images.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Aug 8, 2026
Modified Aug 8, 2026
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The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals removed more than 100 cats from three New York City homes in a single day this week, the latest in a series of large scale operations this summer.
All together, the group has rescued 300 at-risk animals in the city since June.
The cats were given up voluntarily by their owners in the Bronx and Queens. The organization described the owners as overwhelmed and said they could no longer care for the animals.
The cats will now make their way to an ASPCA facility in Ohio, where they’ll receive treatment before becoming available for adoption.
“The ASPCA has seen an uptick in requests to assist with largescale [sic] animal hoarding and neglect situations across New York in recent months, and our teams are working tirelessly to provide critical sheltering, medical care, behavioral treatment and enrichment, legal and investigative support, and safety net services to help animals and pet owners in need,” said Elizabeth Brandler, the organization's vice president of cruelty response, in a statement.
Since June, the organization said, it has launched a number of large-scale rescue operations, some of which have resulted in criminal charges.
It said that it worked with the NYPD this summer to seize 12 dogs and a cat from a Queens home after they were found in waste and without access to food and water. It said nine of the dogs were outside in kennels in temperatures near 100 degrees, and others were locked in crates inside. One deceased dog was removed from the home as well, according to the ASPCA. The owner in that case was charged with overdriving, torturing and injuring animals, among other offenses.
In another case, 40 cats were rescued following an eviction in Queens, while another nine cats were found deceased in that home. Ninety cats were recovered from two different homes in Brooklyn and Queens. And 30 animals, including a pigeon, were removed from a Brooklyn home where the ASPCA said almost all of the animals were confined to crates. In the latter case, the owner was indicted on an animal cruelty charge and other related offenses, according to the group.
In other cases, however, the surrenders were voluntary, said Erin Earley, the ASPCA's senior director of community engagement. She shared a common pattern: overwhelmed owners who kept taking in more cats than they could care for.
“They were people who were doing their best,” Earley said. “So they really were trying to help cats. They were taking more in than they could handle, and they weren't able to afford, spay/neuter services, so their populations were increasing.”
Earley said pet owners who feel overwhelmed by the number of animals in their care can reach out to the ASPCA’s community engagement team for help.
“ We want to work with pet owners,” she said. “We want to help them overcome whatever challenges they're having.”
So far this year, the group said, it has taken in an average of 100 animals per month in partnership with the NYPD.
Tagged
brooklyn
public safety
queens
Ryan Kost
Ryan Kost is a reporter on the day-of news desk, where he covers breaking news and writes enterprise stories about jails, courts, prosecutors and government accountability. His work focuses on the public institutions that shape life in New York. Before joining the newsroom, he lead a multi-part investigation with Columbia Journalism Investigations and New York Focus into how New York prosecutors handle wrongful conviction claims. He's also been a staff writer at The San Francisco Chronicle, The Associated Press and The Oregonian. Got a tip? Signal: ryankost.20
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