A Middleborough woman is facing 20 counts of animal cruelty after police allegedly recovered 17 malnourished dogs from crates covered in excrement, along with other pets in need of medical care, authorities said.
Kimberly Ann Savino, 43, was arraigned Thursday in Wareham District Court, police said. She was released on personal recognizance, with conditions that she not possess or care for any animals except for three dogs in her parents’ home, records show.
On Oct. 18, animal control officers went to 53 Precinct St. to execute a search warrant related to horses on the property, which had been the subject of complaints, police said.
They found “17 dogs, two cats, a turtle, and a guinea pig needing medical care inside the home,” police said.
“It appeared that the dogs had not been out of the crates for an extended period of time and were without food and water,” police said.
Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz’s office said the horses were also in poor health.
They were “significantly underweight and were being fed with ‘very poor-quality hay,’” prosecutors said. “Officers had pre-existing concerns regarding Savino since she was previously charged with animal cruelty in Michigan in 2014 and was ordered to pay about $40,000 in fines.”
The remains of several dogs were found in her garage, “distributed between a freezer and ‘plastic casket boxes,’” prosecutors said.
In a statement, Savino said she surrendered her animals Thursday to get them out of a “shelter environment” while her criminal case is pending.
“It is in no way an admission of guilt,” Savino said. “I was informed that they have screened placements available, so I trust that they’ll be in good hands. I’m furnishing information re their backgrounds, medical and behavioral conditions, and other data that will be helpful to their new families. Adopters are welcome to contact me at any time via Facebook or email, if any questions should arise re their histories, or if financial assistance is ever needed in the future for their care.”
She said she understands how the charges may appear and asked people to “rely on their intelligence, rather than on their emotions.”
Investigators learned that no one regularly lived in the house and that Savino only visited the animals once a week, police said.
Health officials condemned the home as a health hazard, and fire officials deemed the property a fire hazard, police said.
“Nine of the dogs taken from the house remain in the care of the Middleborough Animal Shelter,” police said. “Eight of the dogs remain in the MSPCA’s care.”
Her next court date is scheduled for Dec. 10, records show.
Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
