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Case #9490 Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Animal control officer charged with neglect
Oxford, MA (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Aug 16, 2006
County: Worcester
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Michelle A. Mulverhill
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Five animals were found dead in an animal shelter in Oxford, Mass., and the town's animal control officer was charged in the case.
It was reported that Michelle Mulverhill, 41, is facing five counts of animal cruelty by a custodian.
Police found four cats and a dog dead inside their cages in the town's animal shelter, which is tucked away off a main road.
Mulverhill was arrested, She refused to comment about the case. Police believe the small animals were kept inside the shelter for at least two weeks.
Police were not sure whether the animals died from extreme heat or from lack of food and water.
Arraignment is scheduled August 16, 2006.
Case UpdatesA dog and four cats were found dead in August under the watch of former Oxford Animal Control Officer Michelle A. Mulverhill, who recently admitted to sufficient facts for a plea of guilty on five counts of animal cruelty by a custodian.
Ms. Mulverhill, 42, whose last known address was 5 Thayer Pond Drive, Apt. 3, Oxford, has been ordered by Judge Neil Snider in Dudley District Court to serve one year of probation and consent to a counseling order.
She resigned as Oxford's animal control officer after police charged her Aug. 15. Police had found the dead animals earlier that morning at the Oxford Dog Kennel on Old Webster Road. Ms. Mulverhill had told authorities she hadn't visited the kennel to feed the animals since July 31, during a heat wave.
She also told police of her excessive use of alcohol since being served with an eviction notice July 28, according to court records. | Source: Telegram - Dec 7, 2006
Update posted on Dec 8, 2006 - 1:23PM |
A national animal rights group has written to Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte to urge his office to "vigorously prosecute" the former Oxford animal control officer charged with animal cruelty.
The Virginia-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wrote Mr. Conte this week on behalf of the group's thousands of members and supporters in Massachusetts, the organization said in a news release.
Michelle A. Mulverhill was arrested Aug. 15 after police found four cats and a dog dead at the Oxford Dog Kennel on Old Webster Road. Ms. Mulverhill resigned from the on-call job, and pleaded not guilty in Dudley District Court to five counts of cruelty to animals by a custodian. She is to return to court for a pretrial conference Sept. 26.
PETA researcher Dan Paden said if Ms. Mulverhill is convicted, the organization wants her punished by "a period of incarceration" and "be prohibited from having personal and professional contact with animals, and that authorities seize any animals currently in her custody."
Mr. Conte could not be reached for comment last night.
As a condition of her release on personal recognizance, Ms. Mulverhill was ordered to stay away from all animals, other than her daughter's cat.
PETA has a presence in the region, protesting the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus' use of wild animals a week before the circus comes to the DCU Center in Worcester. | Source: Worcester Telegram - Aug 25, 2006
Update posted on Aug 25, 2006 - 11:06AM |
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