A 77-year-old Florida mail carrier is facing animal cruelty charges after investigators discovered more than 100 cats and dogs confined in a sweltering, feces-filled home in Stuart, in what the local sheriff described as the worst animal hoarding case he had ever seen.
Gail Giustino was arrested July 20 after authorities removed dozens of animals from her residence, which they said she had been filling with cats found along her postal route. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said investigators initially expected to find 15 to 30 cats when they arrived, but instead found more than 100 animals, including at least a dozen small dogs, locked in cages inside the house.
According to the sheriff, the home had no working air conditioning or ventilation and reached about 110 degrees Fahrenheit on the day of the rescue. Investigators described an overwhelming stench of animal urine, feces and ammonia that wafted outside the residence, with about a foot of accumulated feces covering parts of the floor. Some cats had been held so tightly in place that staff members had to break apart hardened feces around the animals' legs before they could move. Authorities said the odor was so severe it presented a potential health hazard to responding personnel, and there was no safe path into the home because of the debris and waste.
Giustino had a long history with local animal control. Since 2014, she had received up to 65 civil citations for the conditions in which she kept animals, according to the sheriff. Code enforcement officers had previously helped her install air-conditioning units, but investigators found those units were not working. Budensiek acknowledged that officials had not checked on her in roughly a decade.
Although Budensiek said Giustino could have faced up to 160 counts of animal cruelty, she was charged with one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty and one misdemeanor count of confinement of animals without sufficient exercise. She was released after posting a $50,000 bond. The sheriff said the goal of the arrest was to seize the animals, save them from further suffering and steer Giustino toward mental health treatment. «We truly believe that Gail thinks she's doing the right thing,» he said. «But she's doing it the wrong way.»
Giustino has worked for the U.S. Postal Service since 1997 and remains employed, according to Debra Jean Fetterly, a USPS spokesperson for South Florida. «We are aware of the situation,» Fetterly said. «The Postal Service does not publicly discuss personnel matters.» Giustino did not respond to requests for comment.
The rescue effort has continued in the days since the arrest. Martin County officials trapped three of four cats that escaped from the home during the removal operation, and a friend surrendered five more small dogs that Giustino had allegedly left in her care. By July 29, the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast had taken in 108 animals from Giustino's home, and officials said they expect more to arrive in the coming weeks as authorities look into animals she may have left with friends.
The animals were in poor condition when they arrived at the shelter. Sarah Fisher, a spokeswoman for the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast, said the animals were in «pretty terrible shape» and many were emotionally shut down. Some cats were catatonic and would not move, she said. The 12 small dogs recovered from the home were thin, covered in fleas, missing hair because of neglect and suffering from dental disease. Many appear to be Yorkshire terriers and range in age from 2 to 8 years old.
In recent days, the animals have begun showing signs of recovery. «It's actually filling our hearts right now because they have been coming out of their shells,» Fisher said. «These cats that weren't even lifting their heads up are now meowing and seeking attention, and I think they know they're safe.» The dogs, she said, were quicker to bounce back. «Dogs are just different. They were happy as could be. They knew they were saved and they were happy. It's really giving us hope at the shelter.»
The community has rallied around the rescue. Locals have flooded the shelter with adoption requests, and workers have received pizzas, pastries and other treats from supporters. On July 24, more than 50 people lined up outside the shelter in the Florida heat, hoping to be reunited with missing pets. Some of the rescued animals have already been returned to owners who said they had given up hope of ever seeing them again.
