Group steps in to rescue slain Staten Island woman's cats

by Staten Island Advance

Friday December 28, 2007, 3:31 PM

Jan Somma-Hammel/Staten Island AdvanceOne of the cats rescued from the Staten Island home of Veronica Johannesen.

When she allegedly was murdered by her husband, John, last week, her nine kitties were cruelly left alone in the victim's Arrochar home

But a group of animal lovers is making sure the 50-year-old victim's pets are accounted for and well taken care of.

Armed with pet carriers and humane animal traps, volunteers from the Staten Island Council for Animal Welfare today continued rounding up the furry felines inside Ms. Johannesen's Pershing Street residence.

"She gave them love and we want to make sure that continues," Barbara Mailman, an Animal Welfare volunteer said today outside the victim's small, red-shingled house moments after she and fellow volunteer, Rosanne O'Hanlon, caught four cats, including a beautiful, green-eyed, long-haired domestic.

"We're all animal lovers, so we're all concerned about the welfare of these cats trapped inside without human attention," she said. "We want to start the new year with all these animals accounted for."

Meanwhile, Johannesen, 51, who allegedly said he gunned down his wife early on Dec. 20 after she barged into a locked attic room while he was drinking, was ordered to undergo a psychiatric exam Wednesday to determine his mental fitness for trial. He remains in custody.

Mrs. Johannesen cared for five males and four females, most of which she adopted.

Thus far, six cats have been captured.

The Manhattan-based Animal Care & Control of New York City grabbed one Dec. 20 in the residence. The next day members returned and left behind a humane trap and food for the other animals, said Richard Gentles, that group's director of administrative services.

On Thursday, Ms. Mailman nabbed one of the cats roaming outside the house.

She and other volunteers scooped up four today inside the home. They left three humane traps for the remaining cats. The animals won't be hurt by the traps. ¶

"Those are her babies. She had no kids," said Al DeMarco, a co-worker of Ms. Johannesen's at the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development at its Borough Hall office.

Persons are only allowed inside the house with a police escort. Yellow-crime scene tape stretched across the property's dug-up front yard today as an officer in a van kept watch.

The cats will be checked out at Bay Street Animal Hospital and put up for adoption, said Ms. Mailman. Those interested in giving them a home can call Clo Garguilo, president of the Travis-based Animal Welfare at 718-948-5623. ¶

"These cats are traumatized," said Animal Welfare volunteer Maria Magnotti, as the gray and white long-haired, green-eyed kitty fussed and mewed today inside a pet carrier on the back seat of her SUV.

Ms. Mailman stressed the cat rescue is a joint effort among Animal Welfare, Animal Care & Control and PLUTO Rescue of Richmond County. PLUTO stands for Pet Lovers United Together as One.

She credited Deputy Inspector Thomas Delahanty, commanding officer of the Mid-Island's 122nd Precinct with helping the animal lovers get inside the house.

Ms. Mailman said the group hopes to find the hold-out kitties soon.

"We're going to get them all," she vowed.

-- Contributed by Frank Donnelly