New Haven Independent

Posted by: ROBN | March 27, 2008 10:19 PM

malapropism/misnomer headline check

cat-house??????

Posted by: Webblog 1 | March 27, 2008 11:19 PM

"We'll Learn from the cat house disaster"

Knock it off Rizzo, you told us you inspected 10,000 units city- wide last year and found no major discrepancies. So what do you call this.. an oversight??

"We're going to learn a little from this," Rizzo said, "so in the future it won't get to this point."
What point..?

Come on Rizzo.. LCI has been in existence for 20 years or more, you have a staff of 16 general fund and 152 special fund personnel, with a budget of $20.722.925M and you haven't learned the basic and fundamental task of responding to resident's calls in distress.

I'd be happy to give you your next performance review. Why don't I just give it to you HERE and NOW.... Grade F--- letter U.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | March 28, 2008 8:17 AM

I am a cat lady :( I can't help it.

I cried when I saw this. WTF so who sealed off the property with the cats in it?? why would you not inspect the whole property? And animal cruelties better be being addressed with this!! 50 CATS!!! Starved to death!!!!!!!

Posted by: Chris O | March 28, 2008 8:27 AM

I think it was good for Mr Rizzo to acknowledge LCI shortcomings on this case. What is distressing is that the neighbors have complained directly to him for two years. I hope there is an apology to the good citizens who own and invest in their home downwind from the cat corpse house. These burden homes are a reoccurring theme through out the city. The house itself is one issue and the responsiveness of city officials is another. I have seen multiples of good people disenfranchised with urban living due to governing response not the situation itself. Special attention should be paid to the people coping with neglect and violence in their communities. The vitality of each neighborhood is dependent on residents investing and feeling supported by governmental agencies.

Posted by: ball z | March 28, 2008 10:00 AM

Several points can be raised from this issue. One being the budget of over $20 million dollars a year should allow an agency to be more involved and active to stop these kinds of horrifics incidents from ever happening.
We're going to learn a little from this," Rizzo said, "so in the future it won't get to this point. Rizzo does that mean if a concerned citizen calls you for two years about a problem in his area you will actually respond and maybe rectify the problem? Doubtful!
I dont understand how the city also went into the house to board up the windows and no one either cared or smelled the dead animals. Or why the city went in and boarded up the house when there were live cats in the house, did you think that boarding up cats in the house would help keep them warm during the winter?
The citizens should be in an uproar about the incompitance and lack of responsibility from LCI and Rizzo maybe it is time fire and rehire someone who actually cares and responds to the people they work for. The average citizen who uses the powers in place to make a complaint for two years deserves at least an apology and explanation for the disaster that took place. Maybe if this agency used its $20 million yearly budget to respond things like this wouldnt happen

Posted by: DEZ | March 28, 2008 10:18 AM

Firstly, the racoon that features prominently on the roof in the WTNH video, and was flushed from the premises during this "final inspection", I fear is dead. WTNH reported on the "sleeping racoon", but in actuality the racoon hasn't moved from its precarious position on the roof in 2 days. As a resident who frequents the neighboring property, I can attest to the smell of death that emanated from this house. Why did LCI not investigate further when they boarded up the home? Is there a protocol in place when the lingering smell of death wafts from a building that is being sealed? There was nothing to say from the odor that these couldn't have been human remains. I'm glad LCI owned up to a horrific track record with regards to this property but as a tax payer, I hope investigations are planned. What is LCI's stand on persons who choose to live in squalid conditions with multiple "pets"? I know broad brushstrokes describe "liveable" when talking about conditions encountered door to door. What is LCI's take on "squalid conditions" in terms of taking action against a pet owner who may not be cognitively aware of their own situation? What does it take to do an in-home inspection of these properties that doesn't impinge upon each residents civil liberties? More to the point, if a pet owner feeds their pets, yet lives with them urinating and defacating throughout the home, is this a hazard worthy of investigation or a lifestyle choice?

Posted by: Fair Haven H | March 28, 2008 10:58 AM

While I understand that Mr. Rizzo hopes to learn from this experience I have my doubts that what he learns will actually produce an effective outcome. I know this house in question and through the YEARS of complaints, the smell of death emanating from the house should have been enough to prompt not only a subpoena to enter the entire house (basement included) but also a follow up. There is no way only 6 cats or human feces could have produced the odor coming from the house. It was overpowering and did not dissipate.

The LCI rep handling this area fell short to a severe degree...to the point of not doing their job plain and simple. A discovery of this magnitude is bad enough but to know that people sought help to figure out a solution and they were met with mediocre efforts at best is simply pathetic. Wake up LCI.

I hope we get to hear exactly what was learned, where the gaps in the process are, and how they hope to better the system because it obviously isn't working.

Posted by: Fairhaven Dave | March 28, 2008 12:01 PM

I'm reading (in other media) that it is unlikely that they will pursue criminal charges in this case.

Which brings to mind the fellow who cut the throats of puppies and landed in prison. HE was dangerous enough to be confined, but a person who tortures and neglects 50 animals is not dangerous enough to qualify for an investigation?

Odd...

Posted by: ACE | March 28, 2008 12:13 PM

MANDATORY SPAY NEUTER OF CATS AND DOGS.

HUMANE EDUCATION.

TRAP NETUER RETURN AND CARETAKING of Feral Cats!

And yes-- MANy people who lose the ownership of their houses thru Foreclosure sometimes ABANDON and LOCK their pets inside to DIE!! Realtors-- please look into these homes AND the locked closets and basements IMMEDIATELY!!.

Man"KIND" needs to USE Compassion!

Posted by: cedarhillresident | March 28, 2008 12:18 PM

Fairhaven Dave
Bravo!!
I am sick over this!!!

Posted by: Sickandtired | March 28, 2008 6:34 PM

I have not seen the name of the lender that has foreclosed on this property mentioned anywhere. Why is it that they escape scrutiny and condemnation?
They would be the owner of record of the property and the responsible party.
Anyone know who foreclosed?
Assessor's online database lists owner of record as:
467 QUINNIPIAC AVENUE NH LLC
http://data.visionappraisal.com/newhavenct/findpid.asp?iTable=pid&pid=4095

Posted by: Edward_H | March 29, 2008 7:31 PM

Even if the cold weather played a part in slowing the decomposition of the cat corpses, why did not the ordor of death prompt a police invstigation? I guess any aspiring serial killers now know they can dump bodies in vacant New Haven houses and the city will take its sweet time to investigate, if at all.