Horses neglected, kept in filthy conditions
Boxford, MA (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Jan 3, 2008
County: Essex
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Dismissed (Conditional)
Person of Interest: Frederick Delisio
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A Boxford man who faces 15 counts of animal cruelty for allegedly keeping three horses in filthy conditions showed up a day late for a jury trial this week.
Frederick Delisio, 53, of 695 Main St., failed to appear in Haverhill District Court Tuesday, but showed up Wednesday [Sept 1, 2008] instead.
He was taken into custody by court officers, according to court records, and held at the Middleton jail on $2,500 bail. Delisio then posted bail the next day and his case was continued until Oct. 28.
Delisio's property is about a mile south of the Haverhill line. The charges were filed by Boxford police after town Animal Control Officer Allison Hayes conducted a mandatory inspection of Delisio's barn.
Authorities allege the miniature horses had inadequate food and water, they were filthy from their own excrement, and large amounts of manure were on the floor of the barn, according to reports provided by Boxford police.
Police said the offenses occurred last winter. Patrolman Thomas Nentwig wrote in his report that at 2:10 p.m. Jan. 3, he received a radio call from Hayes. The animal control officer wanted a second person to witness that three miniature horses in a paddock had not been given food or water, according to Nentwig's report.
On Jan. 9, Patrolman Matthew Dupont reported he accompanied Dianne Begonis, an officer with the Animal Rescue League of Boston, and Linda Harrod, a health inspector for the state Department of Agricultural Resources, during an inspection of Delisio's property.
In his report, Dupont wrote the fence surrounding the pen was "inadequate and unsafe." A makeshift gate had "jagged and sharp pieces of metal," the officer wrote. There was no fresh water or food and Harrod found the horses to be "very thin and malnourished," Dupont wrote.
During a Feb. 15 visit to Delisio's property, Dupont, accompanied by Begonis and Hayes, found that the horses' barn floor was covered with manure. Their legs, sides and necks were covered with fecal matter, Dupont wrote. They also found that fecal matter covered "the entire living space" where geese were kept, according to the report, and they had no water.
Delisio was not present for any of the inspections and attempts to reach him were unsuccessful, police said.
Jennifer Wooliscroft, spokeswoman for the Animal Rescue League, said the horses - two mares and a gelding - are being kept at a facility run by the league.
Case UpdatesA Boxford man recently agreed to relinquish his mini-horses and geese to the Animal Rescue League of Boston in exchange for a lesser sentence amid felony animal abuse charges.
Main Street resident Frederick Delisio Jr. agreed to a plea bargain in Haverhill District Court in which he would permanently hand over his three mini-horses and three geese. In return, his 15 counts of animal cruelty charges will be dropped after 18 months of good behavior.
Boxford Police Lt. Robert Hazelwood said Delisio had recently finished a 60-day jail sentence for breaking his probation in an assault and battery case involving his neighbor. Hazelwood said that the judge saw that he had served jail time and wanted to close on the matter.
“He already served 60 days. In her mind, she felt it was time to conclude the case,” said Hazelwood about the district court judge.
Delisio was arrested and charged with the animal cruelty charges in February, 2008 for allegedly abusing the animals by not providing them food or water and allowing them to live in filth. The 54-year-old Boxford resident has pending court cases involving the assault and battery of a neighbor and his son in May and disorderly conduct charges from an incident outside a Target store last July.
The Animal Rescue League of Boston now permanently owns Delisio’s three mini-ponies and three geese and has put them up for adoption, according to Animal Rescue League Lt. Alan Bourgalt.
“We’ve been inundated with calls to adopt them. We’ve got 25 to 35 applications,” said Bourgalt.
At the time of Delisio’s arrest in 2008, the six animals were seized and taken to the Animal Rescue League’s facility in Brewster, where they have since become a fixture among staff.
Animal Rescue League officials said the mini-horses were so emaciated that veterinarians had to engage in a “refeeding” process to bring them back to health.
“What we had to do was give them small meals frequently throughout the day and night " literally a 24-hour-a-day ordeal for several weeks until they were out of the woods,” said Ashley Arseneau, an Animal Rescue League shelter agent.
Bourgalt said the league has not yet chosen owners for the geese or mini-horses and is currently in the process of reviewing the applications and finding the best potential owners. He said the mini-horses require special care.
“We will pick what is the best suitable home. We want to get experienced people with a nice small barn,” said Bourgalt, adding that experience with mini-horses would be a plus. “They require a lot of grooming care. A lot of hoof care is necessary.”
Bourgalt said they are still accepting applications to adopt the animals. | Source: Wickedlocal.com - Aug 12, 2009
Update posted on Aug 13, 2009 - 1:19PM |
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