White Plains Woman Charged With Animal Cruelty

WHITE PLAINS, NY — A White Plains woman was accused of tossing a cat down a trash chute. The SPCA of Westchester said Tuesday that their Humane Law Enforcement Division in a joint investigation with the White Plains Police Department arrested and charged Romy Goldsmith Shapiro, 40, of White Plains, with animal cruelty and abandonment of a cat.

Police said maintenance workers assigned June 12 to the trash compactor room at the Bank Street building heard noises coming from inside a black plastic bag.

They quickly cut it open and found a black and white cat — still alive — inside a pet carrier bag.

The cat, whose name is Cotton, had fallen 20 stories down the trash chute into the basement and directly into the trash compactor.

Cotton was taken to a local animal hospital for veterinary care and treatment.

White Plains police responded to the location and notified the Humane Law Enforcement Unit.

The investigation found that Shapiro put her cat down the chute on the 19th floor, police said, adding that the cat was in the trash compactor room for eight hours before being discovered.

"It's hard to imagine such a senseless act of cruelty," said Shannon Laukhuf, the SPCA's executive director.

"Miraculously, Cotton survived without any serious injuries," she said. "We are so thankful workers found her in time."

If you suspect animal cruelty or neglect, call the Police or the SPCA of Westchester’s Confidential Animal Cruelty Hotline at 914-941-7797.

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