Defense attorney James D'Angelo said his client is not guilty and was shocked by the judge's ruling.
She has been charged with abusing five dogs and a cat found alive in her home in Selden. A shepherd mix, a beagle mix, an Italian greyhound, a cocker spaniel mix, a pug and a tabby cat were living in wretched cages, authorities said.
A Family Court judge has removed custody of her six daughters, ranging from 18 months to 13 years.
Douglas McDonough, 21, turned in his mother on Nov. 5. He described the home as "a concentration camp for the animals" and claimed he and some of his siblings were present when animals were abused and killed.
After McDonough's arrest, some neighbors feared the worst for pets that disappeared in recent months. But Roy Gross of the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals later concluded that McDonough probably bought the animals or adopted them through shelters and other traditional outlets.
