LI Women Charged With Animal Abandonment After 'TNR' Program

COPIAGUE, NY — Two women were arrested and charged on Thursday, after they trapped and then abandoned cats in Tanner Park, Suffolk County SPCA said.

Catherine Gropper, 32, of Massapequa, and Crystal Cahill, 39, of Amityville, were each charged with three counts of agriculture and markets law animal abandonment and one count of sixth-degree penal law conspiracy, Suffolk SPCA said.

After an investigation, detectives learned that the two women trapped cats in East Islip under the pretense of neutering and returning the cats. They worked in concert under the auspices of performing preforming rescue work known as “TNR”, or Trap, Neuter, and Return.

But instead, they abandoned three cats in Tanner Park in Copiague, Suffolk SPCA said.

Gropper and Cahill are scheduled to appear in First District Court, Central Islip, on Oct. 13.

Animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Suffolk County. If you witness any incident of animal cruelty or neglect in Suffolk County please contact the Suffolk County SPCA at (631) 382-7722.