Officials: Farmingville woman locked dogs in containers

A Farmingville woman was arrested and charged with four counts of animal cruelty Monday after animal welfare officers said they found four dogs locked in shipping containers at her house.

Maria DiForca, 41, of Eva Lane, was charged with the four misdemeanors for allegedly mistreating her four small mixed-breed dogs, said officers with the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The dogs were in cages that had been placed into shipping containers with no ventilation, light, food or water, officials said in a statement.

In a statement, Suffolk SPCA chief Roy Gross said the smell was "unbearable" and the dogs were underweight with matted fur.

All four dogs were taken by the agency and placed into the care of a veterinarian.