VAN NUYS MENAGERIE NURSED TO HEALTH; SURVIVORS AMONG 617 DOGS, CATS UP FOR ADOPTION.

Byline: Terri Hardy Daily News Staff Writer

City workers said they had never seen anything quite like the filthy, disease ridden animal sanctuary found in July filled with 617 dogs and cats at a Van Nuys home.

More than a month later, the nightmare is continuing for the animals, and for the city workers trying to help them.

Some 240 sick and emaciated animals have been euthanized. Shelters have been filled to the bursting point. Medical and food costs have soared to more than $70,000 to care for the refugee animals, said Peter Persic, spokesman for the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services.

``This has been extremely difficult on our staff and a real burden on our budget to have this kind of influx,'' Persic said. ``It's been a nightmare.''

Beginning Tuesday, hundreds of the cats and the 29 dogs will be available for adoption. They will not be euthanized unless room is needed at the shelters, Persic said.

``If people are interested in taking them, we're interested in adopting them out,'' Persic said.

He warned that about 90 percent of the cats were wild or semi-wild.

``Some people claim they like to keep and maintain feral cats, some people have feral cat colonies,'' Persic said. ``But for the average family, considering the huge number of tame cats available, I think they'd be better off with a tame cat.''

Persic said the dogs were in good health and would make good pets.

Since the July raid, about 75 of the cats have been reclaimed by people who found a stray or feral cat and turned them over to the so-called Pets for Life shelter.

``It is my understanding that people were not allowed to bring animals to the house, but they were picked up,'' Persic said. ``If anyone had seen that house, they would not have left an animal there.''

In July animal services workers raided a three-bedroom home on Valjean Avenue. Inside the odorous house, they found dead cats in shopping bags, dying felines inside pet carriers atop heating pads, sick animals roaming the building and feces-smeared floors.

A team of veterinarians were called in to help. Cats were diagnosed with leukemia, malnutrition, dehydration, upper respitory infections, scabies, ringworm, and chronic viral infections, Persic said.

Sick animals were not contained and were roaming free, Persic said.

``The potential for disease transmission in that house was phenomenal,'' Persic said.

The woman who ran the shelter, Doris Romeo of West Hollywood, was arrested on suspicion of cruelty to animals and released on bail. The city attorney has not filed charges against Romeo, said Don Cocek, deputy city attorney.

Romeo will meet Wednesday with members of the City Attorney's Office, Cocek said.

``We thought it would be a good idea to hear her side of the story, so we're going to sit down and talk to her,'' Cocek said.

Romeo could not be reached for comment, but has previously said she was trying to love and care for discarded animals, and if an animal was sick, it had been brought to the shelter that way. She explained the conditions at the house by saying her cleaning man had taken a day off.

Animal Services is accepting donations for the care and rehabilitation of the animals.

The animals will be available for adoption at these shelters:

North Central Animal Service Center, 3201 Lacy St., Lincoln Heights.

East Valley Animal Service Center, 13131 Sherman Way, North Hollywood.

West Valley Animal Service Center, 20655 Plummer St. Chatsworth.

Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Costs of the animals will vary from about $40 to $70, and will include shots as well as spaying or neutering.