Serial Pet Hoarder Charged with Animal Cruelty in Queens
A serial pet hoarder, Elizabeth Grant, has been charged with animal cruelty for keeping nearly 40 dogs and cats in her filthy Queens home. Prosecutors revealed that Grant already faces a court order banning her from keeping pets due to previous infractions.
Conditions in Grant’s Home
Elizabeth Grant, 56, allegedly kept 26 dogs and 12 cats in her Jackson Heights house, which was found to be littered, infested with flies, and devoid of food. The house also contained three dead cats when police arrived with a search warrant on May 21. The smell of ammonia was so overwhelming that authorities had to wear respirators during the rescue operation.
Feces, fur, and urine covered the furniture and floors of the house, and dozens of tangled pets were rescued by authorities. The animals were living in deplorable conditions, with one emaciated, dehydrated, and underweight blind Shih Tzu being among the rescued pets.
Legal Action and Consequences
This is not the first time Grant has faced charges related to animal cruelty. In 2016, she was found guilty of 108 counts of animal cruelty after authorities rescued 70 pets from her home. She was sentenced to three years’ probation and banned from keeping any pets until 2028. However, Grant expressed her distress at being separated from her pets, claiming they were like her children.
Grant was recently arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on an 88-count indictment charging her with aggravated animal cruelty, excessive driving, torturing or injuring an animal, contempt of court, and failing to provide appropriate food and drink to impounded animals. If convicted, she faces up to two years in prison.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz condemned Grant’s actions, emphasizing that pets are not collectibles but living beings that require care, adequate food, water, and a clean living environment. Katz highlighted the neglect suffered by the animals in Grant’s care, which resulted in the death of three animals and the suffering of others.
