Cat lady changes to horses in midstream
By Dave Wedge Boston Herald
All Cat Lady, All The Time

Self-proclaimed ``Cat Lady'' Heidi Erickson has turned her interests from felines to equines - but is being blocked from a horse-grooming gig for allegedly lying about her criminal record.
``You are discriminating,'' Erickson railed at the state Racing Commission yesterday.
``This commission does not want to hear from me at all.''
Erickson, who became the ``Cat Lady'' after dozens of sick and dead felines were found in her Beacon Hill apartment, was before the board appealing a decision by Suffolk Downs and the state police denying her a grooming license to work in the racetrack stables.
Police and track officials said the application was denied because she lied about her arrest record.
Officials say she answered ``no'' to a question about being arrested and provided the wrong Social Security number.
But Erickson claims she ``misread'' the application because she is dyslexic and told officials about her criminal record.
Erickson has open animal cruelty cases in Boston and Waltham courts stemming from gruesome incidents last year in which officials found dozens of sick and dead cats and squalid conditions in her apartments.
Erickson has filed more than a dozen lawsuits against various agencies and companies in recent years, many of which have been thrown out, and is suing the racing commission for discrimination.
Saying she has ``nothing to hide,'' Erickson says she's being persecuted because of her headline-making arrests.
``I've been working with horses all my life,'' she said. ``They're always looking for help at the stables.''

posted by prof_booty | 08:48 AM