Auction Winner Discovers 40 Dead Cats in Storage Locker in Long Island City

LONG ISLAND CITY, NY — The winner of an auction for a storage locker in Queens came away with a stomach-turning surprise when he opened it up on Monday afternoon.

According to police, two storage lockers at American Self Storage in Long Island City were auctioned off after the owner defaulted on paying for them. When the winner of the auction went to open the lockers on Monday at 5:30 p.m., he discovered freezers with approximately 40 dead, frozen cats inside, police said.

The man alerted an employee of the storage facility and they called police to come check out the discovery. One of the cats was skinned and placed in an aluminum tray, according to a police spokesman.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was alerted to the discovery, police said.

The NYPD was still investigating the circumstances of the finding. No arrests have been made.

American Self Storage released a statement on Tuesday saying they were "saddened deeply by the deaths of 40 cats" and would be donating money to ASPCA shelters in the five boroughs and New Jersey. They also said they, like all storage companies, do not examine items stored in rented units.

Photo Credit: American Self Storage via Google Maps Street View