Our coverage is supported by
McIntyre, Donohue, Accardi, Salmonson & Riordan, LLP — representing New York’s injured workers for 80+ years.
Call him the Pied Piper of Rocky Point.
But instead of leading rats to their doom, Strong Island Animal Rescue’s Frankie Floridia is leading an effort to rescue up to 300 white rats that overran a Rocky Point home. And he’s already making progress.
Floridia posted Friday on the rescue’s Facebook page, urging help from rescues and experienced rat handlers across Long Island and neighboring states:
“We are organizing this rat rescue and coming up with a plan. Are there any rescues who can take 1–300 rats? Seriously, even if it’s 2. We need help chipping away at these numbers and anything will help. If there are rats still there that can’t be placed, it’ll be out of our hands and I’m sure their fate will be grim. Please send us a message here on our page so we can add your help to our list.”
Responses quickly rolled in.
• Second Chance Heroes Rat Adoptions said it can take in up to 30 rats.
• Heather Christi offered foster care for up to five, explaining she has a double-tier CritterCage and “plenty of experience handling and caring for them.”
• Gee Em Kay said she could take one or two more, while a “rat mom” from Rhode Island asked if she could help from out of state.
The rescue effort follows last week’s shocking discovery at the Whitewood Drive home of Lori Curley, 48, who has been charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty and endangering the welfare of a child.
Authorities said roughly 200 albino rats — both alive and dead — were found inside the home, which has since been temporarily condemned. Court documents describe a “strong stench of urine, feces and decay throughout the house with poorly circulated air.”
Investigators believe the infestation began with a smaller number of pet rats originally kept by Curley.
Curley’s 3-year-old grandson was allegedly living in the home for weeks in unsanitary conditions. Police body-camera footage reportedly shows the toddler wearing only a diaper while walking and sitting on floors covered in rat feces and urine, with rats freely moving throughout the residence.
When Greater Long Island visited the property earlier this week, delivery packages from Chewy, Amazon, FedEx and other places were still stacked on the porch — alongside a full, unopened 12-pack of Michelob Ultra — while several white rats rummaged among the boxes, at times clawing into bags of vermin food.
Now, Floridia and his team are racing against time to rescue the surviving rats and place them with fosters or adoption programs, hoping to prevent them from being euthanized or left to die in the condemned home.
Top: Brian Harmon photos
