- Connecticut, USA -
~ Update: April 3, 2022
On Monday, March 28, as scheduled, 59-years-old JOANN M. CONNELLY (pictured) appeared in Vernon Superior Court for her arraignment and walked free on three Misdemeanor charges.
Judge Kathleen McNamara released her on a promise to appear.
CONNELLY was ordered not to possess any animals and “cannot return to the house where the animals were held, as it's uninhabitable”, reports Journal Inquirer.
CONNELLY is accused of leaving dozens of animals locked in cages and living in their own filth.
More than 70 animals were seized from her home in Hebron, where she operated a rescue and regularly got shipments of animals from other states.
Public Defender Michael Rodrigue who represented CONNELLY at her arraignment said that CONNELLY has been dealing with a divorce among other personal issues and he suspected these factors overwhelmed her.
Prosecutor Jaclyn Preville argued that CONNELLY’s bond should remain set at $10,000, as the allegations are serious and said that CONNELLY may face more charges in the future.
CONNELLY is slated to appear back in court on April 20, 2022.
Additional Source:
~ Original story:
The Connecticut State Police announced that 59-years-old JOANN M. CONNELLY (pictured), a licensed animal importer who owned and operated CT Pregnant Dog and Cat Rescue, has been arrested on three counts of cruelty to animals.
Police said in a press release that the arrest is the result of a joint investigation with the Town of Hebron Animal Control Office, Hebron Police, Department of Agriculture State Animal Control, and Hebron Resident Trooper.
“An inspection in February of 2020 revealed only five dogs who appeared to be in good order however in February of 2021 complaints began and continued to come in regarding animals under Connelly's care and allegations of neglect”, stated the release.
Police said at the end of the driveway was a locked gate and many attempts to access the property consequently failed. “Despite the many anonymous complaints received by State Animal Control there was no substantive evidence to apply for a search and seizure warrant”, said police.
Meanwhile, as reported by Law & Crime, court documents state that CONNELLY provided paperwork to the authorities showing that the dog whose alleged condition resulted in the 2021 complaint had been taken to a veterinarian and was “doing better.”
On March 23, however, there was a new development.
An investigator with the Department of Children & Families “requested assistance during a site visit for information received that the owner had moved and a large number of animals had been left behind”, said police.
A State Animal Control Officer along with a Hebron Animal Control Officer joined a state trooper to investigate.
Police described the conditions of the home as “deplorable and unsanitary and an overwhelming odor of urine and feces could be smelled from outside of the residence.”
The release went on to say: “Officers observed numerous dogs in cages crammed throughout the house to include the basement. The floors throughout the home were covered in urine and feces. Birds and cats were also in the home and a pony, goats and geese were outside of the home in poor conditions.”
Specifically, in regard to this visit, the report stated: “There was an overwhelming odor of urine and feces coming from the home. Upon entering the front interior of the home, [an officer] noticed twelve dogs in cages. There were seventeen dogs in cages in the second room as well as five dogs in the basement. The floors throughout the home were covered in urine and feces, newspaper clippings, dog food and dirt. Four of the five dogs in the basement were four puppies that appeared to be about six months old with their mother. The Basement floor was covered with sheet rock, insulation, urine and feces. The back room in the basement had fourteen cats in cages, feces, urine and kitty litter everywhere. On the second floor of the home there were three loose cats in the bathroom, two cats in the bedroom, feces, urine, cat litter and animal hair apparent in each room. Air quality is worse than poor. There were two parakeets in a cage in one of the bedrooms which was filled with bird waste and filth. The general appearance of the house was extremely filthy. Outside of the home there was a pony, goats, and geese and a shared living quarters that contained approximately three feet of manure and hay.”
The report further stated: “Upon entry, [an officer] observed thirty dogs on the first level of the home. Twenty-nine of them were confined in crates that were soiled with urine, feces, and soiled pee pads, one dog was loose. One crate contained two large dogs, giving them very little room to move around. The waste material was not limited to the inside of the crates and was also apparent around the entire floor. [An officer] observed 1 dog outside loose on the backside of the house. [An officer] observed 4 dogs caged in the basement and one dog loose to run around the basement. The basement was littered with debris, trash, urine, feces and pieces of insulation and newspaper that were al accessible to the dog that was loose. In the back room of the basement [an officer] observed approximately 14 cats that were caged in filthy cages, some with multiple cats in a cage. The cage floors and the floor of the entire room was coated with soiled litter and other debris. On the second floor of the home [an officer] observed one caged cat and one loose cat in a bedroom. The caged cat was in filthy conditions with litter and feces covering the bottom of the cage, and no obvious litter box. There were 3 loose cats in 2 bathrooms. The smell was so bad in the upper level that [an officer] had difficulty breathing even while wearing an n95 respirator. In the bedroom at the end of the hall, [an officer] observed 2 parakeets in a large cage, the cage floor was covered with seed shells and feces. There was a strong smell of incense burning in this room, which is very detrimental to the health of the birds. [An officer] observed the conditions in the home to be extremely unsanitary making it difficult to breath or move around without collecting dirt, cobwebs or waste material on her clothing. On the outside portion of the property [an officer] observed a pony, two goats and 3 geese. The shelter area where the pony and goats were being house contained so much built-up fecal matter and hay debris that it blocked approximately half the doorway and the animals would have to climb up to enter.”
The following day, an arrest warrant was applied for and granted for the arrest of CONNELLY.
CONNELLY was taken into custody on March 25, at her residence on 171 Porter Road in Hebron. She was held on a court set bond of $10,000.00 cash/surety and is scheduled to appear in court on March 28, 2022.
Police said all the VOICELESS VICTIMS were seized and are receiving veterinary care.
A recent Facebook post by CT Pregnant Dog and Cat Rescue reads: “[Due] to an unforeseen incident, CT Pregnant Dog and Cat rescue will no longer be active. I am so sorry to all those who tried to help in every way they could. If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to the CT Department of Agriculture.”
The rescue then posted a comment asking for compassion.
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Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
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I’m truly happy these innocent souls were rescued. I pray they all get better & find homes with families that will love them forever!