Suffolk Woman Left 6 Dogs In 'Unsanitary And Rotting Home'; 7th Dog Was Decomposing: SPCA

SMITHTOWN, NY — A Smithtown woman was charged with animal cruelty after she confined her six dogs inside an "unsanitary and rotting old home" in Kings Park, the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Tuesday. A dead dog was also found in the home, the SPCA said.

Lisa A. Watt, 55, was charged after Suffolk SPCA detectives executed a search warrant at a home on Old Commack Road, Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County SPCA, said. The home has since been deemed unfit for occupancy by code officials, Gross said.

Six dogs were removed from the home with the help of Smithtown Animal control officers, the SPCA said.

Detectives described the home's walls as "covered in grime and filth with black discoloration and spiderwebs." A portion of the first floor dining room ceiling was collapsed into the room, and the second floor bedroom had the roof collapsed into the floor where the sky was visible from indoors, officials said. The floor was bare wood with the finish scratched off in the traversable portions of the interior where urine and feces were permeated into the wood, the SPCA said.

The kitchen had four dogs confined to it with feces and urine strewn about, and the tiles were discolored with canine waste, detectives said.

"The air was noxious and the overwhelming odor of ammonia, rot, urine, and feces was so pungent that it caused officers to cough, gag, and not tolerate long periods of time inside the home," the SPCA said.

There was no running water or power accessible indoors, detectives said.

A seventh dog found decomposing inside is set to undergo forensic examination at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University in Ithaca, the SPCA said.

Watt was arrested 12:20 p.m. Saturday at her relative's home in Smithtown following a lengthy investigation, the SPCA said.

She was charged with six counts of animal cruelty and six counts of neglecting an impounded animal and later released from the Suffolk County Police Department Fourth Precinct after being processed by Suffolk County SPCA detectives, officials said.

Watt was scheduled to appear at First District Court in Central Islip on Tuesday.

"Animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Suffolk County," Gross said. "If you witness any incident of animal cruelty or neglect in Suffolk County please contact the Suffolk County SPCA at 631-382-7722."