Cases of Interest
The MSPCA's Law Enforcement officers investigate allegations of animal cruelty throughout Massachusetts. If you wish to report an allegation of animal cruelty, no matter which city or town you live in, please call (617) 522-6008 or (800) 628-5808. Below are a few recent cases. To view archived cases, click here.
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CASE: Unfathomable and preventable neglect
In 2008, MSPCA Officer Nanci Bonito investigated the conditions of several animals owned by the same household. One of the animals she encountered was a dog that was encased in such thick, compressed, debris-packed mats, that it had trouble walking and was barely recognizable as a cocker spaniel. Eventually, a veterinarian and several assistants labored for three hours; they removed approximately 12 pounds of mat material from a 47-pound dog. Even after liberation from the matting materials, the dog still contended a severe, malodorous infection and pain that required treatment with intramuscular medication.
Ultimately, the defendant entered into a plea agreement, in which she agreed to serve three years on probation, supervised for the first year, and submitted to unannounced inspections by the MSPCA or town animal control officer.
CASE: Abandonment of animals and common sense invites the senseless to occur
In 2008, MSPCA Officer Lesley Hampson began an investigation of a young man who allegedly had abandoned two cats in an apartment for several weeks. Officer Hampson obtained and executed a search warrant. Unfortunately, one of the two cats that had been abandoned in the apartment was too emaciated and dehydrated to respond to respond adequately to treatment. Shortly before trial, the defendant entered into a plea agreement in which he submitted to probation for nine months and completed thirty hours of community service.
CASE: Willfully blind to a loyal horse
A Massachusetts case investigated by MSPCA Officer Nadya Branca was resolved. In this case, allegedly the defendant failed to adequately relieve his geriatric horse's suffering. The horse's long-standing lameness and malformed front leg were obvious. Ultimately, the horse died during the pendency of the case.
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The defendant elected to have his case heard by a jury, but later decided to enter into a plea bargain after the first day of trial. The defendant agreed to serve two years of supervised probation, not obtain any new animals during his probationary period, and submit to a mental health evaluation.
WARNING: Please be advised that some readers might find the facts of following cases to be particularly disturbing.
CASE: A cold, primitive end
MSPCA Officer Nanci Bonito investigated the death of a cat with a fractured skull. Over the course of her investigation, potential witnesses provided varying versions of the fateful night to Officer Bonito, with some claims that a dog had attacked the cat in question. The defendant maintained that his friend's dog attacked the cat, but he admitted to stamping on the cat "to put it out of its misery". Autopsy findings were consistent with the defendant's admission.
The defendant entered into a plea bargain, in which he agreed to serve one year of supervised probation, not obtain any new animals during probation, submit to random inspections, and pay restitution to the owner of the cat.
CASE: Another cold, primitive end
MSPCA Officer Christine Allenberg investigated a matter that began with a woman that brought a dead cat into a human hospital and sought treatment for cat scratches. Over time, the woman involved provided a variety of explanations to explain her cat's death. Among her explanations: that she had drowned the cat because it was vicious. An independent veterinarian later examined the cat and opined that the cat suffered from blunt-force trauma to its head and then was drowned.
On the day scheduled for trial, the defendant entered into a plea deal, in which she agreed to serve probation for one year, and complete an alcohol rehabilitation program.
CASE: Callous bludgeoning and disposal of a cat
In the Spring of 2009, MSPCA Officer Martha Parkhurst began an investigation into disturbing allegations. Officer Parkhurst's findings materialized into a criminal complaint, in response to which the defendant recently entered into a plea agreement.
On one Saturday afternoon, the defendant's daughter's cat hissed at the defendant. The defendant picked up a baseball bat and followed the cat into an adjacent room. In the next room, the cat hissed at the defendant again. The defendant then twice struck the cat's head with the baseball bat. Then, the defendant slipped the cat's body into several plastic trash bags, and placed her in the neighbor's trashcan. Shorty thereafter, the neighbors discovered that the cat in the bags was moving and meowing.
Unfortunately, the cat could not be saved. A veterinarian did opine, however, that the cat died from acute head trauma.
Per his plea agreement, the defendant agreed to plead guilty, and serve 9 months of supervised probation. He also will perform 60 hours of community service.
CASE: Co-owners of man's best friends insist on trial
Working with local animal control, MSPCA Officer Christine Allenberg and MSPCA Sgt. Roy Sutton investigated a case involving the neglect of two Bichon Frise dogs. As the case unfolded, MSPCA officers learned that one dog had tied, and the surviving dog was in very poor condition and covered with excrement.
Subsequent veterinary statements included the observations that the dog still living was "emaciated, dehydrated, filthy, and covered with fleas", and the conclusion that the death of one dog and condition of the other "could have been prevented by minimal routine care." A veterinarian examining the deceased dog reported starvation to be the probable cause of death.
During the investigation, the defendant co-defendant spouses claimed that both dogs became ill "about a day" before their condition was first noted by an outside party. They both denied any wrongdoing, and later sought to have their case heard by a jury after they were charged each with two counts of animal cruelty.
After trial, each co-defendant was found guilty of one count of animal cruelty. One year of supervised probation was imposed on each defendant, with neither being allowed to own any animals during the probationary term. Each defendant also will have to complete 50 hours of community service in a setting that does not involve pets.
