13 dogs seized
Old Saybrook‎, CT (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Jan 19, 2012
County: Middlesex

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Herbert Smith

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Police arrested a local man this morning on numerous charges of animal cruelty after he allegedly kept 13 dogs in a house that police described as "deplorable" and the building department determined was unfit for anyone to live in.

Herbert Smith was charged with 13 counts of animal cruelty and as of Thursday afternoon was being processed at the town's police department. The dogs appeared to be uninjured, according to Lt. Kevin Roche.

A town Animal Control officer today made a previously scheduled visit to 38 Ford Drive, where Smith was living, to help with the adoption of two 3-month-old puppies in his possession. The officer found a litter of nine additional two-day-old puppies who were living in the home. Roche said the home was covered in urine and fecal matter and the conditions were terrible for the dogs and humans, as well.

Roche said that Smith signed the dogs over to the town and after a number of tests they will be available for adoption. The dogs' mother and father were also living in the house. The mother is a pitbull mix and the father's exact breed is unknown.

The house has been foreclosed on and its owner is deceased, Roche said. Police believe that Smith was a previous tenant in the home, although they do not know how long he has been living there with the dogs.

"He was trying to get the two 3-month old dogs adopted and he was trying to do the right thing," Roche said. "I think things got ahead of him and he didn't know how to handle it."

Assistant Animal Control Officer Jennifer Hart was the one who responded to the home to find the dogs living in squalor. She said this type of situation is why her office encourages the neutering and spaying of dogs.

The dogs were being kept at the Animal Control Office this afternoon. The mother was visibly upset and was very protective of her puppies, although Roche said she normally has a friendly demeanor.

"Right now they're scared," Hart said of the dogs. "They've been pulled from the only house they know."

All dogs are currently being cared for at the Old Saybrook Animal Shelter. These dogs and others at the shelter will be available for adoption once they are cleared. For more information you should call 860-395-3142 or email [email protected]. Email communication is preferred.

Case Updates

References

« CT State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Middlesex County, CT

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