Archived Cases
Abandonment of Animals and Common Sense Invites the Senseless to Occur
In 2008, MSPCA Officer Lesley Hampson investigated 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 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.
The Court Did Not Abandon a Defendant’s Charges as He Abandoned His Animals
In mid-2004, MSPCA Officer Martha Parkhurst investigated an allegation that animals had been abandoned by a couple in two different apartments sharing the same apartment complex. After obtaining and executing two search warrants, Officer Parkhurst removed one dead cockatiel, two dead cats, and three live, but emaciated cats. The ravenous fleas that swarmed over the live cats were so numerous that the officer herself was covered with hundreds as she left the apartment.
Although one of the co-defendants disappeared from the court system for several years, his default remained. Eventually, he was unable to remain hidden. In early 2009, the defendant entered into a plea agreement in which he agreed to serve one year in jail.
Sometimes, Handholding Instead of Handcuffing
In 2008, Officer Nadya Branca received allegations that numerous animals were suffering in unsanitary living conditions in a house in Central Massachusetts. When she arrived on the scene, she discovered over 150 animals—dogs, cats, other small mammals, and birds—living together in dark, filthy, crowded conditions.
Past experience has shown an alarmingly high recidivism rate in some cases involving the “hoarding” of animals, and these investigations often end with sadness. In this case, however, the owners voluntarily surrendered animals into the MSPCA’s care, facilitating Officer Branca’s work with the involved residents using a collaborative approach. A social worker and professional cleaner became involved. Months later, Officer Branca returned to inspect the premises, to find a spotless home, where the owners were providing proper care and affection for their few remaining animals. The residents wrote a grateful letter to the MSPCA about Officer Branca’s kindness and assistance. In some instances, animals and people are well served without involving the court system, as this case illustrates.
MSPCA Law Enforcement: Present Even When Not Met by the Press
Visitors to this Web site might not be familiar with the patience and resilience of the MSPCA’s law enforcement officers. Where appropriate and possible, those officers educate people, to attempt to create lasting change for the betterment of animals. In fact, it is not uncommon that someone with whom law enforcement has interacted elects to surrender animals to an MSPCA adoption center or another shelter. Most of these instances escape media coverage. But these cases are important. They help to give animals a second or better chance, even without the attention usually devoted to court cases.
Some cases involve multiple animals. As a mere sampling, the following animals were surrendered to MSPCA adoption centers as a result of the collaborative case efforts of the Law Enforcement department in 2008:
- More than 40 cats from Dighton
- More than a dozen cats and dogs from Greenfield
- More than 30 cats from Lowell
- Approximately 20 cats from Carver
- Cats, dogs, rabbits, turtles, birds, goats, miniature horses and more than 20 sheep from Southwick
Owner Permits Dog to Languish and Suffer
In 2008, a case by Officer Martha Parkhurst was resolved. A Middlesex County defendant pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges for knowingly permitting her dog to suffer unnecessarily. After the defendant’s dog allegedly was hit by a car, she failed to address her dog’s obvious suffering. Her dog suffered from an openly fractured leg—the poor dog’s leg bone was visible, and the non-functional, mangled foot pointed in the wrong direction. In addition to agreeing to a six-month suspended sentence, the defendant will not be permitted to own any animals for her one year probation.
The dog ultimately was humanely euthanized.
Birds’ Destiny Re-Written
In 2008, a Worcester County criminal complaint filed by MSPCA Officer Nadya Branca was resolved. During the course of Officer Branca’s investigation, the defendant surrendered 300 ducks and over 700 chickens to the MSPCA. This defendant had kept more than 1,000 starving birds, housed together with scores of bird corpses, in detestable, unsanitary conditions. The defendant eventually entered into a plea bargain, in which he agreed to probation for 18 months, agreed not to own or possess animals for a commercial purpose, and agreed to submit to inspections during his probation.
The majority of the chickens and ducks have survived, been rehabilitated and been rehomed.
