Families visit Humane Society in search of pets rescued from Martin County home
MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. —
Dozens of families gathered at the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast to search for their missing pets among nearly 100 cats and dogs rescued from a Martin County home where deputies said the animals were living in horrific conditions.
“When I saw this, I thought maybe there’s hope,” said Heather Peck.
Sara Piper expressed similar hope, saying, “A couple of cats were from my street that went missing, so it’s possible.”
Pet owners lined up, waiting for their turn to identify if their missing animals were among those rescued.
“He was an outdoor cat, but he always came home religiously, and during that time, a bunch of other cats in the neighborhood also went missing,” said Kara. “It could have been an animal, but you have to have hope.”
For many, the search ended in heartbreak.
“I’m bummed. He was a great guy,” said Jim Langone. “It’s kinda weird that a cat can bring a grown man to tears, but it is what it is.”
However, there were moments of joy. Jisel Leon was reunited with her cat, Blizzard, a month after he went missing.
“We’ve been having dreams about this for the past month or so,” Leon said. “I’ve been dreaming about him every night. It feels like in my dream when I find him.”
So far, three cats have been reunited with their original owners, but 80 cats and 17 dogs are still waiting to be claimed.
Officials stressed that no animals from this case will be available for adoption or foster until every reasonable effort has been made to reunite them with their rightful owners.
“And anyone that couldn’t get here today, we’re asking that they reach out to the Humane Society or myself to try to coordinate an appointment time to come back,” said Corporal Christine Polizzi of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
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