THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 20, 1994 TAG: 9408200237
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LYNN WALTZ, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
After Rochelle Ferro was found guilty Friday of 26 charges for failing to vaccinate and license her 25 cats and five dogs, she paid her $1,300 court fine and drove to the animal shelter to pick them up.
But she was stopped cold by the boarding bill of $10,200 - cash.
The daily fees had mounted since the animals were seized from Ferro's Ghent home June 30.
``I don't have the money,'' Rochelle Ferro said as her adult daughter Shirley talked frantically to their lawyer on the phone and her son Harry paced the floor angrily.
``What are we going to do?'' she said.
As the minutes ticked away toward 5 p.m. closing time, all three became more frantic and demanding.
``Please, let us at least see them,'' Shirley Ferro begged the attendants. They finally gave in, turning the lights back on in the kennel area, spurring all the shelter's caged dogs into a chorus of yelps and barks.
``Sebastian. Gregory. Hi, Sheena. Ritchie, baby,'' Shirley cooed, sticking her fingers through the cages to pet her cats. ``Cassandra, I'm coming back to get you Monday. We'll get you out of here. I promise.''
When she came back out into the sunlight, she was steamed.
``They told us we could get them today,'' she said, standing in front of a Jeep Cherokee loaded with empty plastic kennels and cages. ``Now we can't.''
Shirley Ferro said she plans to take all the cats to her sister's farm in Maryland, where 40 more cats and 13 dogs live. The five dogs will be divvied up between Rochelle and Harry.
There's no question in Shirley's mind that the family will come up with the money and not allow the beloved pets to be put to sleep.
``We have no choice,'' the former New York City fashion model said. ``We can't leave them after having them for so many years.''
It was not the first time the Ferros have gotten into trouble over their obsessive love of animals.
In July 1992, police and animal-control officers raided their three-story home on Colonial Avenue and removed 112 rabbits, 88 cats and 20 dogs. The animals were taken to the Maryland farm, but some of the cats found their way back after Rochelle got lonesome for them, daughter Shirley said. They started breeding, according to court testimony Friday.
This summer, after neighbors complained about the stench of urine and feces, animal-control officers raided the house again.
They found cat and dog feces and hardwood floors stained with urine.
Animal-control officer Mark Kumpf testified that the stench was so bad he could stay in the house only 15 minutes at a time. A Norfolk police officer said the smell made him sick to his stomach.
Rochelle Ferro, however, testified she didn't smell anything as she sipped her instant coffee the morning of the surprise raid.
Later, at the SPCA, Ferro left the interviews to her daughter as she headed back home alone.
``Sebastian. Reva. Augustina. Barnabas,'' Shirley recited, trying to remember all the names. ``Salmon. Cassandra. Gregory. Swami. Kasha . . .'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by RICHARD DUNSTON, Staff
ABOVE: Rochelle Ferro visits with one of her dogs at the Norfolk
SPCA. LEFT: Shirley Ferro talks with a lawyer about a $10,200
boarding bill. With her are her mother, Rochelle, and brother
Harry.
KEYWORDS: PETS ANIMAL CONTROL by CNB