Allyson Halm
Judge Finds Neglect, Grants Town Temporary Custody of 12 Seized Dogs
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Saying the owner of 12 dogs seized by police last month has been neglectful in caring for the animals, a state Superior Court judge on Monday awarded temporary custody to the town. In petitioning the court for ownership, the town through remote hearings demonstrated “multiple aspects of neglect and disregard for the welfare of the animals” by 48-year-old Catherine Palmer, Judge Kenneth B. Povodator wrote in his decision.
“To varying degrees, the animals were deprived of adequate veterinary care, assurance of adequate and proper food, and cleanliness of environment and their bodies, with no basis to suggest that these were isolated instances,” Povodator wrote in his conclusion. “The plaintiff has established neglect.”
A final hearing on the custody of the 10 small-breed puppies and two adult dogs is scheduled for Dec. 18. Palmer, in a related though separate criminal case, has been charged with three counts of animal cruelty connected to the deaths in September of three puppies at 151 Butler Lane.