Rogue Animal Rescuers Claim SPCA Botched Pet Cemetery Case

The cast of an animal rescue show co-opted an SPCA press conference yesterday and accused the agency of mishandling the case of a Long Island woman suspected of torturing and killing 20 dogs and burying them in her backyard. Members of the group Rescue Ink took over the media event and alleged that the Suffolk County SPCA had ignored calls for help from the children of suspect Sharon McDonough — who allegedly forced her kids to take part in her "concentration camp" for dogs.

"These kids risked their lives to try to help these animals," said a member of Rescue Ink — which was first alerted of the abuse by the suspect's son Doug before it tipped off the SPCA. "And they have been let down by everybody." With their own cameras rolling, the anti-animal-abuse group — which describes itself as "a bunch of tattooed, motorcycle-riding tough guys who have joined together to fight animal cruelty" — accused the SPCA of excluding the suspect's children from the dog adoption process (allegations the agency denies).

Unsurprisingly, the press conference quickly turned into a shouting match between Rescue Ink and Michelle Curtin, the director of a rescue organization that is currently protecting the live animals recovered from McDonough's home. Curtin denounced Rescue Ink's actions as a "media stunt" for the group's National Geographic Channel TV show, and members of the group were escorted away by police, though they were not arrested. There's a photo gallery of the confrontation on the Newsday website, and a video on ABC's site.

Neighbors continue to allege that the suspect — whose mailbox has been been spray painted with the words "guilty" on one side and "killer" on the other — kidnapped and killed their pets. Authorities are currently investigating whether or not she abused her children and forced them to take part in animal torture.