Starve 150 Animals to Death
120 rabbits, 18 guinea pigs, 10 chinchillas, two ferrets and one cat that died
Town of Niagara and Niagara Falls, NY
charges. Originally Fedak was charged with felony animal cruelty charges.
Sentencing is October 29th.
The local SPCA and police received a warrant to go into her Niagara Falls
home on July 13 and found 79 dead animals. Assistant district attorney
Holly Sloma said in the Niagara Falls Gazette, "that the sheer number of dead animals didn't mean the charges would be felonies. The misdemeanor
law speaks of intent to neglect. The felony law speaks almost of a level
of torture, of depraved and sadistic behavior. This case showed obvious
neglect and not torture as the felony law sees torture." Initially, Hadad was not arrested but investigation showed the animals belonged to the daughter Hadad.
Last Thursday, Fedak pled guilty to a cruelty charge to animals and Hadad
pled guilty to two counts of cruelty to animals in another court, Town of
Niagara Court. Animals were left to starve to death in the Town of Niagara
and in the City of Niagara Falls, NY. Sentencing is November 1st for the
Town of Niagara case. On July 12th the local SPCA removed 72 animals
(rabbits, guinea pigs, and a cat) from a trailer rented by Fedak in the Town of Niagara. Fedak turned herself into police. They also found trophies for awards for the animals at local fairs and competitions. This was the first home where animals were found dead.
Several dogs were also found in one of the above homes. We believe all were still alive but neglected. The newspaper has not mentioned these animals but footage was shown on television this past July.
Al Chillie, executive director of the Niagara County SPCA said he worked
closely with the District Attorney's office. He will speak at the sentencing and urge the court to give the maximum one-year in jail sentence for these misdemeanor charges. Chillie said in this case, the letter of the law doesn't allow for a felony charge. Chillie was quoted in the Niagara Falls Gazette as saying" These people are guilty but it's not like the portion of the law was for people who set a cat on fire, for example." There was no torture. Certainly, when (you) don't feed an animal they're going to suffer. We found one animal half in a cage trying to escape. It's a very serious thing."
Fedak is a respiratory therapist presently suspended from Niagara Falls
Memorial Medical Centers because of the original felony charge. According
to the Niagara Falls Gazette, "With the plea to misdemeanor charges, the
union is in the process of reinstating her."
Judge John P. Teixeira
Town of Niagara Court
7105 Lockport Road
Niagara Falls, NY 14305
Telephone: 716-297-2150
Fax: 716-297-9262
For the City of Niagara Falls case, please write to:
Judge Kathleen Wojtaszek-Gariano
Public Safety Building
520 Hyde Park Boulevard
Niagara Falls, NY 14302
Telephone: 716-278-9800
Fax: 716-278-9809
By PAUL WESTMOORE
News Niagara Bureau
9/30/01
Expressway Village mobile home.
Both also are expected to enter guilty pleas to identical charges in Niagara Falls City Court within the next week in the deaths of 79 other animals in a house at 3334 D St., Holly Sloma, Niagara County assistant district attorney, said Saturday.
The 120 rabbits, 18 guinea pigs, 10 chinchillas, two ferrets and one cat that died at the two locations last year "either starved to death or died from other forms of neglect," said Niagara County SPCA Director Albert J. Chille.
Deborah A. Fedak, 44, of Orleans Avenue, and her daughter, Beth A. Hadad, 21, of Chasm Avenue, both in Niagara Falls, entered their pleas Thursday
before Town Justice John P. Teixeira to misdemeanor counts of cruelty to
animals. The charges were reduced from felony counts as part of a plea
bargain, Sloma said Saturday.
Sentencing is Nov. 1. Fedak is free on $1,000 bail, her daughter on $500 bail. Sloma said the two also have entered into a plea deal in the Niagara Falls case.
Both woman could face up to two years in jail if they receive consecutive
sentences in the two cases, Sloma said.
Fedak was arrested July 13, a day after town patrolmen discovered 55 rabbits, 16 guinea pigs and a cat - all dead and decomposed in an unoccupied trailer at 50 Expressway Village.
"There wasn't much left but fur and bones," Town Police Chief John L. Keller said. "In my years as a police officer, I've never seen anything like it."
"They died either from starvation or possibly from having no heat," Chille added. "They had been dead for at least a year. There was no smell because
their flesh had decomposed a long time ago."
The SPCA official said the animals found July 13 in the D Street house had died more recently.
Chille said Fedak, a respiratory technician at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, apparently raised purebred angoras and rabbits to exhibit at fairs and shows.
"She won many awards. Her rabbits came in first place at the Niagara County
Fair a couple of times," said Chille, who noted ribbons and trophies were found at both addresses.
