Update: Officials deny SPCA charge of animal cruelty
3:20 PM Fri, May 29, 2009 | Permalink
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EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Col. Stephen M. McCartney, Warwick chief of police, and Michael J. Healey, spokesman for Atty. Gen. Patrick Lynch, on Friday rejected criticism by the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which on Thursday accused an animal-control officer of animal cruelty, a criminal offense, for allegedly failing to care for an injured kitten that had maggots in a wound and later had to be euthanized. The SPCA said the animal control officer and the owner of the kitten should have faced criminal charges in the case. McCartney and Healey said separately that the case had been investigated thoroughly, and that the conclusion was there was no case to be brought. The SPCA criticized the Warwick police for failing to take action, and also complained that pleas for action from the state attorney general's office went unheeded despite months of trying. "I'm very disappointed that the SPCA has chosen to criticize the Warwick [Police Department], since we initiated this investigation and actually called them into it and cooperated very closely," McCartney said. "Upon completion, we had the Attorney General's Office review the case and as you well know, they determined that there was a lack of probable cause to effect an arrest. Based on this decision, the Warwick PD could go no further with it criminally." Healey said, "We're sensitive about crimes against animals -- we've put people in jail for that. We looked at a lot of evidence, and there was no way we could charge the animal control officer or the owner." "There's no possibility that the kitten could have been saved if the kitten had been treated that night. The neglect was extreme," Healey said. As for the kittens' owner, Healey said, "the evidence did not suggest that the owner acted maliciously, but rather that he was a guy who got into some money trouble and made a mistake and basically got in over his head." David Holden, director of the SPCA, said in on on Thursday that a report filed by the SPCA with the Warwick police -- whom he said had summoned him to investigate -- that he found the injured kitten in a pet carrier at the Warwick Animal Shelter on Aug. 26, 2008. He said he was told that an animal-control officer had been sent to pick up two kittens that had supposedly been abandoned. Holden said that he and an unnamed Warwick police officer "observed a large wound covering much of the [injured] kitten's abdominal area with maggots in the wound. They state there was an 'offensive odor' and 'odor of rotting flesh' coming from the kitten." Holden's report went on to say, "The wounds were extensive and most likely the results of an injury or animal attack that became infected. The advanced state of this wound did not occur overnight, but over the course of several days. The smell emanating from this open wound would be nauseating. This injury in my professional opinion caused severe pain and discomfort to the kitten." He said the animal-control officer failed to provided needed care, and left the injured kitten untreated overnight. In an accompanying news release the SPCA said that the Warwick resident who originally called the police to report the kittens abandoned later admitted that they belonged to him. The SPCA said the owner knew the injured kitten needed treatment but did not provide it. The organization said the owner, as well as the animal-control officer, should be prosecuted. The original version of this story, "SPCA says kitten untreated despite maggots in wound," was posted at 4:17 p.m. Thursday, and updated at 8:48 p.m. 
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who would ever do such a thing to a poor little helpless kitten?
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Absolutely freaking horrifying. Human beings have to be the most heartless species on earth.
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According to the article,the kitten was left uncared for overnight, and therein lies the cruelty. There seems to be a lot of issues involving neglect, "laziness", and lack of proper funding, in our animal shelters lately. They are becoming a common news item. I hope the RISPCA keeps a watchful eye on these agencies, and I hope the AG's office re-thinks its hands off approach. Animal control should be providing a safe zone for these animals, not leaving animals who are in their care in pain or distress, due to "laziness", or any other reason.
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figures.. it's an animal so just put it down. Most animals deserve better than people, case in point someone who was trusted with the animals is just "lazy" He probably had a break time being cut into so ditch the animals and the AG can always find a way to charge anyone. Looks like they have the same work ethic as the officer but as we've seen in the past this will just go under the carpet with everything else Warwick manages to bury.
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Simply awful.
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I'm sure the guy is a connected crony of some one with no experience for the job. Not to mention it probably wasn't in his contract to help.
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I agree with all that this is a horrible thing, but has anyone asked what the animal control officer probably SHOULD have done? Euthanize the kitten, bring it to a vet, or what?
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Animals have feelings too!!! That poor kitten was left to suffer all night long by itself. The officer who left the animal for the other staff should be ashamed of himself!!!
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worst of all this officer will probably keep his job. Sounds like someone got caught up in the "control" portion of his job title.---animals beware
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My dog had a small open wound, took dog to vet, day later dog died with maggots in wound. At least vet was "kind" enough to wait a week before sending bill. Bill for what - he did/saw nothing.
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That is just shocking. Whether it's the owner's fault or not, it's just a SAD story.
And I've HEARD bad maggot stories!
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This is unbelievable ! Common sense says if you cant afford treatment you drop the cat off at a shelter- in over his head ? I hope this guy doesn't have any kids - they both need to be prosecuted.
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One can only hope those who would not prosecute get to experience the same neglect and pain as the kitten.
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Notwithstanding the emotional issues, maggots are actually beneficial to wound healing and are used in medicine to clean problematic wounds. The presence of maggots is not a reason to be upset in this case in my opinion. Absent detail about the cause of death, which may have no relationship to the wound it seems that much of the outrage is generic. Maggots do not cause pain as they go about their business, thus the issue of whether the kitten suffered should not be tethered to the presence of maggots.
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So the fact that the kitten was in pain and suffering made it alright to just leave it for the night. I know the identify of the ACO in question - his past track record does not justify the "police protecting their own" Disgusting!
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The point that is key here is not that the kitten could have been saved in end, but the needless suffering this poor cat had to endure. I am not satisfied with explanation the Warwick police and attorney general's office is giving. This situation screams gross negligence. If this one incident has been brought to light, what else is going on that is being hidden?? This is truly an outrage.
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