Cats Seized From Harrison Home Up For Adoption

The New Rochelle Humane Society removed eleven pets from a Harrison residence during the last two weeks, now some of those animals are looking for a new home.

The animals were taken from the dwelling of Laurie Ann Arcuri, who lives on Orchard Place in Harrison.  Ten cats and one dog have been removed from the dwelling since Feb. 8.  Arcuri was allowed to take back her dog earlier this week, but the cats will not be returned to her.

One of the concerns voiced by the humane society was that animals may have been entering the building from the outside, meaning that stray cats could have been entering and leaving the home.  

"The major issue here was that they had too many cats and they weren't being cleaned up after," said Dana Rocco, shelter manager. "The house was becoming dirty as a result of the cats not having proper litter boxes."

The Harrison Building Department was not available to confirm why, exactly, the animals were removed.  

Tiffany Monterola, who works in the humane society as an adoption counselor, said the cats she found upon entering the home were in good physical condition. She added the inside of the home also appeared clean, but a cleaning crew had already been working on the house by the time she arrived.  

"They were all well-fed and clean and nice," said Monterola. "They were nice cats."

Monterola said Arcuri was cooperative while workers removed the animals.  The pets were taken to the shelter where they have been held and treated.  

"Some had a few sniffles, but overall they are in good health," Rocco said of the cats. "They are really friendly an young."

The cats in the shelter Thursday all appeared happy and healthy.  All of the animals taken from Arcuri's home are being kept in the same room.

Some of the younger kittens from the home were already adopted over the weekend.  The rest of the cats are still in the humane society, waiting for someone to give them a new home.  But Rocco is confident that most of the cats will be adopted in the near future.

"Because of the time of year there are not a lot of kittens in shelters right now," she said.  "So they will go out faster now than they would in the summertime."

As for the home on Orchard Place, Rocco said the Harrison Building Department has cleared Arcuri to live in the home and, after three separate trips to the residence, she is certain that there are no longer cats inside.

But she is worried that this type of situation could spring up again if authorities don't keep an eye on the situation.

"I would love to see this kind of followed up on in a couple months," said Rocco.  "That would be on our wish list."