A woman who had about 20 dead dogs buried in her backyard on Long Island faces a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge, police said today.
Suffolk County SPCA official Roy Gross said five dogs were found in small cages without food or water at the Selden, N.Y. home of Sharon McDonough. A cat also was rescued.
The rescued dogs are a shepherd mix, a beagle mix, an Italian greyhound, a cocker spaniel mix and a pug.
The greyhound has been adopted; homes were being sought for the other animals.
The defendant is a widowed mother of seven. She has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court Tuesday in Central Islip.
Investigators say Douglas McDonough, Sharon's eldest son, tipped off an animal rescue group to conditions at the home. The group then contacted police.
"It was a concentration camp for the animals," Douglas McDonough, said. "My sisters and me, we got the end of it, too."
