Good call

A simple phone call, placed from the Waldbaums at 905 Atlantic Ave. in Baldwin, may have saved the life of a Rockville Centre woman and numerous animals trapped in her home.

The subject of the “well-being” checkup request, an as yet unidentified employee of the Waldbaums, had not reported for work between Jan. 7 and Jan. 12. Worried about the woman’s absence, her employers — who declined to comment for this story — notified the Rockville Centre Police Department about their concerns.

“The call came in to our HQ at 1:05 p.m. on the 12th, and we immediately responded,” said RVC Police Commissioner Charles Gennario. “The call came from a manager — we’re not sure of the name — and stated they were concerned for the well-being of an employee who was last seen by employees the Friday before.”

Police arrived at the woman’s home, at 83 Clinton Ave., and immediately deduced that the situation was dangerous. “The officers felt something was amiss because of the odor they observed when they went around to the rear door,” Gennario said. “They also heard multiple dogs barking. The officers were able to make contact with the resident, and immediately observed she was not of sound mind.”

Conditions in the home were unsanitary in the extreme, Gennario said. In fact, the resident had barricaded herself in with such an immense accumulation of filthy debris that police needed to use a backhoe to enter the home. Inside they found evidence of a potential disaster. Seventeen severely neglected dogs were found roaming the house, and the carcasses of five dead animals — four dogs and one cat — were also strewn about.

The ailing resident initially refused emergency aid. “She said, ‘Just give me water and I’ll be fine,’” Gennario recounted. Eventually, however, police prevailed on her to accept medical assistance. She was taken to Mercy Medical Center for treatment and observation.

The dogs trapped in the house included 14 cocker spaniels, a papillon, a black Labrador mix and a golden retriever. One of the dogs was pregnant, one had three legs and another was a puppy. The animals’ fur was soiled with urine and dirt, according to Town Supervisor Kate Murray, who expressed shock when she heard descriptions of the horrific scene.