A 77-year-old United States Postal Service mail carrier faces animal cruelty charges after deputies removed about 80 cats and 12 dogs from her Stuart, Florida, home, where animal waste reached a foot deep in places. Gail Giustino was arrested on July 20, 2026, following a search warrant at 11586 Southwest Meadowlark Circle in the Foxwood community. She had worked the route since 1997, and authorities determined she gathered feral cats during deliveries in the Port Salerno and Coral Gardens areas before bringing them inside. The property required ventilation by fire rescue teams before animal control officers could safely enter and remove the animals.
Sheriff John Budensiek of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office explained the origins of the case during a press conference outside the residence.
“We got a report of a lady who worked for the Postal Service who was stealing or collecting cats along her route. The call came in as a theft and as we investigated it we learned that our suspect and kind of victim who lives behind us was working around and potentially collecting feral cats. So she did not steal somebody’s pet but she was likely collecting feral cats.”
Animal Control had visited the house in years past and issued up to 65 civil citations for different types of animals she confined there. Code enforcement helped mitigate ventilation and care problems about 10 years earlier.
Earlier this week, Animal Control tried repeatedly to enter the house to check on improper housing or abuse, but could not gain access despite working with Giustino. Officers encountered an extreme stench when they finally approached.
“This house is not ventilated. It is ventilated now thanks to fire rescue but it is not ventilated. Last count from Gail is she believes she has at least 70 cats in there all caged and we are not sure how many dogs yet. We believe that there could be north of 70 or 80 animals stored in this house. These are squalor conditions. It is a nice house nice neighborhood but the conditions are horrific. In some places a foot of animal feces fills the house. There is no air conditioning. When we cracked the door earlier today the stench was unreal. The air was stifling hot and the HAZMAT team from fire rescue ventilated the house to help remove the animals.”
Giustino indicated she thought she was doing the right thing by taking in the strays, though the situation had clearly overwhelmed her ability to provide proper care. No public details have emerged about immediate family members who might assist her. The animals went to the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast for exams, vaccinations, hydration and recovery after arriving underweight and dehydrated. The intake mirrors a recent Florida shelter cat rescue, while the dogs’ road to adoption tracks another recent shelter-dog adoption turnaround. Some cats showed fur loss from stress, while dogs needed treatment for dental issues. Shelter staff continue microchip checks and public outreach to reunite pets with possible owners.
Giustino faces two misdemeanor counts under Florida Statute 828.13: animal cruelty and confining animals without sufficient food or water. Officials limited the charges rather than pursuing scores of potential counts so they could seize the animals quickly and steer her toward mental health court resources. She remains employed by the Postal Service, which has offered its USPS Employee Assistance Program. Court proceedings will likely determine any restrictions on future animal ownership and any evaluation or support services she may receive. The rescued animals stand a strong chance of recovery and possible adoption or reunion while Giustino receives the intervention needed to address the underlying issues that led to the hoarding.
