Croydon
A total of seven dogs taken from Petrina Newcomb’s Pine Hill Road residence have been euthanized since they and one cat were found to be living in what Croydon Police Chief Richard Lee described as “extremely poor” conditions.
Two of the dogs Newcomb surrendered on Nov. 5 were euthanized within 48 hours, and the remaining five were put down within a week, said Monica Zulauf, president of the Animal Rescue League in Bedford, N.H., where the Chihuahuas were taken.
“There was evidence that the dogs rarely went outside to go to the bathroom,” said Lee, who executed a search warrant at the residence last week with an investigator from the rescue league.
The dogs that were put down had severe neurological and other impairments, Zulauf said.
“When you have a whole combination of things, it’s a quality of life issue,” Zulauf said. “We got multiple vet opinions; we do not euthanize lightly here.”
Several of the remaining 14 dogs have a long road ahead before regaining their health, but overall, the remaining dogs are doing well, she said.
Some of them are currently in foster care; the others remain in the care of the rescue league and are undergoing ongoing medical assessments.
The lengthy application process to adopt the dogs will begin this week, Zulauf said.
She urged potential adopters to be patient with the process. The dogs came from what she characterized as a hoarding situation, and some may have difficulty becoming house broken and adapting to life in a family home.
Lee, the police chief, said he plans to file charges against Newcomb in Newport District Court soon. Those charges won’t be the first she has faced in connection with dogs in her care.
She is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 3 for a case in which she allegedly sold dogs without health certificates in Newport. She has remained out on a personal recognizance bond since September, according to court documents.
This month also wasn’t the first time Newcomb has surrendered dogs. Zulauf said the rescue league has taken in some of Newcomb’s dogs in the past.
The Upper Valley Human Society has, too.
Reached by phone, Newcomb’s attorney, Lisa A. Wellman-Ally, said she didn’t feel comfortable commenting on pending litigation, other than to say “(Newcomb) denies the facts that have been alleged” in the recent surrender incident.
In New Hampshire, the Legislature considers most animal cruelty incidents misdemeanor offenses, with the exception of second or subsequent offenses or individuals accused of purposefully beating, torturing or mutilating an animal.
The state defines cruelty as behavior that causes injury or is detrimental to the health, safety or welfare of an animal.
“For it to be criminal, there has to be more than simply having too many animals,” said Sullivan County Attorney Marc Hathaway, who spoke only generally about the criminal process associated with animal cruelty cases. “If all of them are being well taken care of and are in good shape and all is well, law enforcement walks away.”
Sue Skaskiw, the executive director of Vermont Volunteer Services for Animals Humane Society, said she has dealt with several animal cruelty and hoarding situations in the past. Speaking generally about animal hoarding and cruelty and not specifically about this case, she said a number of factors can contribute, including mental illness and the prospect of financial gain through the breeding and selling of animals.
“Sometimes people just get overwhelmed,” she said.
New Hampshire State Veterinarian Steve Crawford, who compiled a PowerPoint presentation on animal hoarding a few years ago for a group of health officers, identified three criteria that, together, constitute animal hoarding: more than the typical number of animals; an inability to provide minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation and care; and denial of the inability to care.
“Animal hoarding is not simply owning a lot of animals,” the PowerPoint, which is available online, states. “(Or) usually solved by prosecution, alone.”
Skaskiw urged anyone who suspects animals are being inhumanly treated to speak up. She acknowledged that people sometimes can be afraid to report alleged animal cruelty for fear of retribution.
“If these were children, would you turn a blind eye?” she said. “These animals don’t have voices, you have to be their voice.”
Jordan Cuddemi can be reached at jcuddemi@vnews.com or 603-727-3248.