Cat beaten and drowned
Monson, MA (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Aug 10, 2008
County: Hampden
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Trisha T. Baker
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A new arraignment date has been scheduled for a Monson woman who is facing an animal cruelty charge for allegedly drowning her young, black and white cat.
According to documents in Palmer District Court, Trisha T. Baker, also known as Trisha Marier, allegedly drowned the cat last month.
Baker, 43, of the 200 block of Palmer Road came to the attention of law enforcement officials after she brought the dead cat to Wing Memorial Hospital in Palmer, stated a report from a Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals official included in court documents. The cat later tested negative for rabies.
Baker allegedly told Monson Police Sgt. Nicholas J. Gasperini that the cat was mean and vicious.
A veterinarian at the Monson Small Animal Clinic examined the dead cat and said it was struck with two separate blows, to the nose and neck, then it was drowned.
The court complaint was filed by the MSPCA.
Clerk Magistrate Benjamin Barnes said an arrest warrant would be issued for Baker, because she missed her arraignment Thursday. But because Baker supplied the court with a fax that stated she was at the hospital, the warrant was not issued and a new arraignment date was set, he said. She will be arraigned on Sept. 18.
Case Updates"You need to have the animal euthanized, it's sick."
Trisha Baker is reading a letter written by her neighbor on her behalf. It describes her cat's erratic behavior just before it died.
"He attacked my neighbor, a four year old girl, the manager of the park and he went after me," says Baker.
After these attacks Baker says she gave the cat to her husband, and days later it was found dead in the woods. But police say she had a different story last month when she brought the dead animal to Wing Memorial Hospital in Palmer.
"The woman brought her cat to a public, human hospital and stated that she had drowned the cat," says Christine Allenberg, an animal control officer with the MSPCA.
The cat tested negative for rabies, but despite its behavior, it's a death animal control officers say no animal deserves.
"Drowning is a very cruel, painful, inhumane, long, slow way for an animal to die," says Allenberg.
Baker is charged with animal cruelty and faces five years behind bars. She says since being charged her neighbors at Ray's Mobilehome Park in Monson have been harassing her with hate mail.
"Now I'm getting letters taped to my door calling me a killer," says Baker. "It's bad enough losing your animal but now this."
Baker was released until her next court date in November. But MSPCA officials say if you have an aggressive pet you need to call your local animal control officer or veterinarian for advice. | Source: CBS Springfield - Sept 18, 3008
Update posted on Sep 21, 2008 - 7:12PM |
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