2 Men Charged For Housing 36 Cats, Dogs In Filthy Bensalem Hotel Room

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —Two men have been charged for having animals living in filthy conditions at a township hotel, officials said Monday.

John Quinn and Joseph Stelacio, both of Philadelphia, face misdemeanor and summary charges after the Bucks County SPCA rescued 36 animals that were living in filthy conditions in a Bensalem hotel room in late August, said Cindy Kelly, spokeswoman with the Bucks County SPCA.

The charges were filed on Friday with Judge Joseph Falcone's office on Bristol Road in Bensalem Township.

Quinn and Stelacio are facing:

• (2) 3rd-degree misdemeanors for lack of veterinary care for two cats (one was saved; the other was euthanized)
• (36) 3rd-degree misdemeanors for unsanitary conditions
• (4) Summary charges for lack of veterinary care for one dog and three other cats with medical issues

Kelly said the men also have charges pending for other animal hoarding situations in hotels and motels in the area.

BCSPCA Humane Law Enforcement Officers rescued 33 cats and three large dogs from the unnamed hotel after hotel staff notified the Lahaska-based agency after discovering the animals during a routine room inspection.

Inside were three dozen animals roaming freely in filthy crowded conditions with urine and feces littered throughout the room. The SPCA said the stench burned the officers' eyes.

To date, 20 of the 36 animals have been adopted, the Bucks County SPCA said.

The SPCA said that two dogs (Rae and Finn) are available and awaiting adoption. Nine cats (aka barn cats) are in need of a free-roaming placement like a barn, greenhouse, or workshop.

Kelly said that four animals are still under care and not yet ready for adoption: three cats and one dog.

"We are thrilled so many have found homes already," Kelly said. "We would love to find good homes for the rest, especially those working cats for whom the shelter is a stressful place to be."