All morning on July 27, police and animal control officers have been removing animals from a home on Eastfield Drive in Fairfield.
Police say they have received nearly 46 complaints about the home in the past five years. There were about 70 dogs in the home, reportedly living in filth and feces. Police have never been allowed in the home to inspect; today they produced a court order.
Animal control departments from at least six surrounding communities have been called to assist with removing the animals.
The home's owner is Robin D'Orso. There are reports that a child also lived in the home.
Case UpdatesSelf-proclaimed Fairfield animal rescuer Robbin D'Urso, who had nearly 130 dogs crammed in cages all over her home in July, told a judge Tuesday he was barking up the wrong tree if he expected her to pay $15,000 in restitution.
After more than two hours of negotiation, the 44-year-old D'Urso agreed to plead guilty to six out of 104 animal cruelty charges.
But Superior Court Judge Patrick Carroll got D'Urso's dander up when he told her she would get a suspended sentence, on the condition she make restitution to all area towns that have been treating her dogs.
"But your honor, there is no money," she complained. D'Urso then insisted that the state probation office study what the municipalities are owed in her case.
But Carroll pointed out that that the probation office could find that she owes much more than the $15,000 in her plea deal, or more than $50,000 that the municipalities seek.
He also told D'Urso he is aware she had recently refinanced her Eastfield Drive home, providing her with $80,000.
"That's already been spent," D'Urso retorted. The judge then vacated the guilty pleas and continued the case to next Tuesday, so that D'Urso's lawyer, Jonathan Stein, can provide him with an accounting of what his client did with the money.
Police raided D'Urso's home on July 27 and found 129 dogs in cages piled on top of each other.
She had been collecting the dogs from puppy mills and animal shelters, according to police. Three puppies and one rabbit taken from D'Urso's home died and three other puppies had to be euthanized because of poor health.
D'Urso was recently denied permission to take in several blind pit bulls. | Source: Connecticut Post - Oct 4, 2006
Update posted on Oct 4, 2006 - 9:07PM |
The Fairfield woman who was keeping 129 dogs in her Eastfield Drive home has been charged with more than 100 additional counts of animal cruelty this week, while the town continues to rack up thousands of dollars in veterinarian fees needed to care for several of the animals that were seized from the home.
Robbin D'Urso, 45, appeared in court Tuesday, where she was charged with 118 counts of animal cruelty and 9 counts of illegal possession of dog and cat vaccines, both of which are misdemeanors, according to police detective Lt. Christopher Lyddy. In addition, D'Urso was issued 95 infractions for failure to vaccinate, Lyddy said. Her hearing was continued to Sept. 7.
Two weeks ago, police, health department and animal control personnel raided D'Urso's home, where she was running a purported pet rescue operation called Companions For Life, and found the 129 dogs, two cats, two ducks, four hamsters and a rabbit. Police said the home, where D'Urso's 11-, 10- and 7-year-old children had been living, was filled with a terrible stench, with animals housed in every room. Some animals were found lying in feces in the basement, police said; others were in cages stacked on top of each other without a solid floor in between, meaning that dogs in the higher cages would urinate and defecate on dogs below. Several of the animals were in distress and needed immediate medical attention, and 18 dogs were brought to veterinary facilities, according to police. Six puppies died within the next few days.
The state Department of Children and Families took D'Urso's children from her after the raid and sent them to live with their father, from whom D'Urso is separated, police have said. The children will not be allowed to stay in D'Urso's house until it passes an inspection, according to police.
The Minuteman has attempted to contact D'Urso, whose phone number is unlisted, through an e-mail address that had been posted on the Companions For Life Web site, but has received no response.
As of Tuesday, Lyddy said, no more dogs had died since the six puppies, and only a couple of dogs remained in veterinary facilities. The rabbit found in the home has died, however. Police are still waiting for autopsy results on the puppies.
About 76 dogs were still being held in Fairfield at the town's dog pound as of Tuesday, with the remainder being held in other towns' municipal animal shelters, Lyddy said. So far, the town has incurred more than $10,000 in veterinarian bills caring for the animals, he added. "It's mounting every day," he said of the cost of caring for the animals, adding that the town intends to try to recoup that money from D'Urso.
Lyddy said the town has not yet determined a per-day cost for feeding and caring for the animals, largely because they are scattered over several different shelters in the region since Fairfield was unable to accommodate all of them. He added that the costs could mount as the town is forced to take back the dogs who are being temporarily held in other town's shelters. Fairfield may then have to board the animals in private shelters because of the sheer number of animals involved, he said.
"We can only impose on surrounding communities for so long," Lyddy said. "They've all been very accommodating, but I'm sure that ... they're going to need the space sooner or later."
After the July 26 raid, police said they would be keeping the dogs for the near future because they were evidence in the case against D'Urso. Lyddy said the town will next be taking a civil action requesting that the court stipulate as soon as possible what should be done with the dogs. Once that motion is made, D'Urso would have an opportunity to try to reclaim the animals, if the court is willing to return them to her, Lyddy said.
When and if the court allows the town to begin finding homes for the animals, there should be no problem finding takers; since news of the raid became public, Lyddy said, the town has been inundated with calls from people wishing to adopt the animals. "We have no doubt - no doubt - that we'll be able to find suitable homes for all of them," Lyddy said. | Source: Fairfield Minutemen - Aug 11, 2006
Update posted on Aug 11, 2006 - 1:14PM |
There's more trouble for a Fairfield woman charged last week with animal cruelty.
Forty-four-year-old Robbin D'Urso has been arrested again, this time for allegedly threatening to kill her neighbor.
Last week police removed 129 dogs from D'Urso's home; they were reportedly living in filth.
Now, D'Urso is facing charges for threats she allegedly made to her 16-year-old neighbor that she wanted to kill her and her boyfriend.
There's no word on what prompted those threats. | Source: wtnh.com - August 1, 2006
Update posted on Aug 1, 2006 - 7:43PM |
More than 100 dogs were found living in filth inside a Fairfield home. Two people say two of the dogs they adopted from the home in the past have serious health problems, they say one of the animals may even have to be put down.
Back in February, Jennifer Romano saw Jazzy's picture on a pet rescue website and she fell in love, but then she went to pick up Jazzy at a "foster" home in Fairfield.
"The smell that came off of her was horrific. It was absolutely horrible, and she was just bathed. And that gave me an indication of, you know what? Something's not right," says Jennifer Romano.
Something wasn't right. This Thursday morning, police raided that foster home they found 129 dogs living stacked up in cages. Homeowner Robin D'Urso said she was part of an animal rescue operation.
Carol Notaro also adopted a dog from D'Urso. Louie smelled bad and had serious health issues - and right now he's in quarantine after biting carol.
"All of a sudden, a split second, and he would start attacking us, and this went on for tow, three weeks," says Carol Notaro.
In both cases, D'Urso made the adopters sign contracts saying the dogs were being kept in sanitary conditions and then D'Urso charged each family $300 for each dog.
"It did say that they were a non-profit organization and they use the money they get from the dogs for vets and other things and I thought to myself, you know what? I'm doing a good thing," says Romano.
But was D'Urso doing a good thing? Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is investigating. He released a statement that, quote, "We're deeply concerned and disturbed about the alleged inhumane and intolerable treatment of dogs at Robin D'Urso's home, and we have evidence that her organization may have failed to comply with state charity laws." | Source: News Channel 8 - July 29, 2006
Update posted on Jul 29, 2006 - 10:33AM |
An Eastfield Drive woman accused of boarding 129 dogs in her single-family home was ordered Friday to turn over custody of her children.
Bridgeport Superior Court Judge Arthur Hiller ordered Robbin D'Urso, 44, arrested Thursday on 14 counts of cruelty to animals, to turn over custody of three children, ages 7, 10 and 11, to her husband, Vincent D'Urso, until she cleans up her house.
The lawyers for the children and Vincent D'Urso, of North Haven, are to inspect the Fairfield home Thursday. If they find it clean and suitable for children, Robbin D'Urso will be allowed to have the children back at her home on a part-time basis.
Robbin and Vincent D'Urso, married in 1993, are locked in a bitter divorce dispute.
Vincent D'Urso claims his wife has a drug and alcohol problem, and poisoned his Pepsi with Syrup of Ipecac on Jan. 26.
Meanwhile, the investigation into D'Urso's animal-rescue business continued Friday.
Fairfield police also are investigating a complaint that Robbin D'Urso threatened one of her neighbors late Thursday. The neighbor had previously complained that D'Urso spray-painted profanities on his house, but police said they could not prove that.
State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Friday that his office has evidence D'Urso's nonprofit animal rescue business, called Companions for Life, may have failed to comply with state charity laws.
"According to its latest report, the organization raised $44,000, purportedly for the purpose of animal rescue, and spent $48,000. Our investigation concerns possible improper use of these funds," Blumenthal said.
Fairfield police said they seized computers from D'Urso's house during Thursday's raid.
Officers removed 129 dogs, 14 in very bad health, that they found living in foul conditions.
Detective Lt. Daniel Gombos said Friday afternoon that none of the dogs has died, but one is in "very serious" condition.
Seventy-nine dogs went to Fairfield's animal shelter; the rest are in other animal shelters around the state.
Local police on Friday also sent a message to other communities' animal shelters asking that they take more of D'Urso's dogs from Fairfield.
Gombos said the dogs would not be given to volunteer agencies or individuals because they are evidence in the investigation.
D'Urso is to appear Aug. 8 in Bridgeport Superior Court to answer the 14 counts of animal cruelty.
D'Urso is also due in court Aug. 15 for a contempt of court hearing because she allegedly violated a judge's order that she not keep more than three dogs in a pen on her property.
Meanwhile, women who bought dogs from D'Urso last weekend questioned her honesty.
D'Urso does not have a published phone number, and she did not reply to e-mails seeking comment.
Barbara Schaefer, 50, of Stratford, said D'Urso told her Sunday night that she had 30 dogs in her house � far fewer than the 129 dogs found by police four days later.
Schaefer, who bought a 2-year-old retriever mix named Harry from D'Urso, said the dog seemed well fed and had clear eyes and good teeth and gums.
But Schaefer said Harry was filthy and had an infection where he had been neutered. Harry also has separation and crate anxiety, she said.
Schaefer said she paid $275 for Harry and another $25 so D'Urso could do a background check on her.
Amy Campagna, 30, of Oxford, said she bought a collie from D'Urso for $325. She said D'Urso gave her medicine to treat two parasites in the dog, named Pepper.
But Pepper, Campagna said, was older than D'Urso claimed and was "skin and bones." Campagna said she later discovered Pepper had a bad case of worms that D'Urso didn't mention.
Campagna said D'Urso's house had a stench and that she saw dogs rolling around in feces in D'Urso's front yard. She said black flies bit the dog Campagna took to D'Urso's house to meet Pepper.
D'Urso blamed the foul odors on wild turkeys, Campagna said.
Campagna said she thought it was unusual D'Urso's business didn't have a telephone or fax machine and that D'Urso did business only by e-mail.
"There were a lot of things that in retrospect were kind of sketchy," Campagna said. "I had never been to a foster house before, so I didn't know what to expect. I just know it smelled really bad." | Source: Connecticut Post - July 29, 2006
Update posted on Jul 29, 2006 - 10:26AM |
Fourteen dogs were rushed to a veterinarian clinic for immediate medical care, police said.
D'Urso, who runs an animal rescue group, was charged with 14 counts of animal cruelty. She was released on a promise to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on Aug. 8.
Neighbors complained 46 times about the noise and smell coming from D'Urso's house. But police said they were not allowed into the house before getting the warrant, so they could not determine whether conditions were bad.
Neighbor Jeff Wargo said the conditions were bothersome.
"Keeping you awake, you can't open the windows in the house. I think any normal person would complain," he said.
D'Urso is the president of Companions for Life, according to state records. The organization describes itself on its Web site as a nonprofit animal rescue group that provides foster and veterinarian care.
Martin Lopow of Companions for Life said there may have been some crowding at D'Urso's house, but the conditions were within kennel standards.
"I just want to make absolutely clear that Mrs. D'Urso is a very responsible, caring individual as far as animal welfare is concerned," Lopow said. | Source: The Advocate - July 28, 2006
Update posted on Jul 28, 2006 - 9:50AM |
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