New York Charity Exposed

After raising $25,000 including a $10,000 check donated by a World Trade Center Fireman's widow and putting $8,000 of my own money into the Hearts and Homes for Homeless Animals of Brooklyn shelter at 908 McDonald Avenue, I, Laurie Bleier say I wouldn't leave my own dog there if it was the last facility on the planet.

Back in June when I put down the first months rent and deposit (totaling $4,400.00) I envisioned a volunteer-driven, community based organization. I worked tirelessly with many volunteers to raise money to put in a ventilation system (required by law and humanity to keep the dogs and cats safe), to buy insurance to allow volunteers to enter the building without liability, to put in dog runs in the back yard, to put in lighting and many other things that would have made for a safe shelter. To this day, none of these things have been purchased.

My suspicions were raised by the complaints of many people who had called shelter operator Todd Puma to volunteer but were told he didn't need any volunteers.   From one woman who asked that her name not be used - "I had rescued a 7 week old kitten that I had taken over to the Hearts and Homes shelter in a carrier. A couple of weeks later I had people that wanted to adopt the kitten so I sent my friend back to the shelter to pick it up. Todd would not let him in and his wife pushed the kitten out the door. When the young man brought the kitten back to me, the carrier was disgustingly dirty. The cat was matted with excrement and urine. He was starving, I had to give him three baths to get the odor out!"  On Thursday, October 21, Lawyer Glen Meyers, volunteer Mike L (he does not want his last name mentioned here for fear of Todd Puma) and I entered the building with a set of keys knowing the building would be empty. What we saw there was enough to bring me to tears. Every crate with an animal in it was full of urine. The dogs were soaking wet. There were no toys, food or bedding in any. The shelter reeked from lack of a ventilation system. Large dogs were put in crates that they could not even stand up in. The cats were in the back in pitch black. Two cats were stuffed into one carrier. One dog was so thin we took him out and he is now living in my home. 

Read the rest at http://www.hellobrooklyn.com/hearts

Laurie Bleier
879 Union Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Phone: 917 754-3537
Fax: 718 789-1465