Animal cruelty case of former Mystic, Niantic dog trainer resolved with probation
Area dog trainer Beatrice A. Nielsen, charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty in August after authorities said they seized 29 neglected animals from a squalid home in Webster, Mass., learned this week that she will be able to clear her record of the charges if she complies with several conditions during a yearlong probationary period.
Nielsen, 50, who also is known as Beatrice DeGruttola, had worked for 12 years at My Dog's Place, an animal daycare and training business with facilities in Mystic and Niantic. She resigned after authorities were called to a home she owns at 6 Cody St. in Webster for an odor of decay and discovered dogs living in urine and feces-soiled cages and the remains of a dog in a garbage bag in the back yard. Five cats and three birds also were in the home.
On Monday, Dudley District Court Judge Timothy M. Bibaud continued the case for a year "without a finding," according to Timothy Conley from the Worcester District Attorney's Office. The judge prohibited Nielsen from possessing, breeding or selling animals while on probation, to undergo a mental health evaluation and seek treatment if deemed necessary and to pay $5,000 in restitution to the Webster Animal Control office for its care of the seized animals.
"Her record will be clear after a year if there's no other violations," Conley said. "If she were to violate her probation, the judge would have the ability to enter a guilty finding."
Neither Nielsen nor her attorney, Sarah Gager of New London, could be reached for comment.
Local animal advocates had written to the court urging a harsher punishment for Nielsen and were unhappy to hear the outcome of the case.
"People are really disgusted," said Chris Lamb, president of CT Animal House, a Waterford-based nonprofit rescue organization. "Cruelty to animals is a felony charge in all 50 states. Until the courts and the judges see it as a felony and not a misdeameanor, we have a long way to go. Those animals went through hell."
Webster Animal Control Officer Michelle Ann LaFleche could not immediately be reached for comment.
Following the court hearing, LaFleche posted several photographs from the case on her Facebook page. She said the animals were denied water while in Nielsen's care and "continue to consume water like they will never have it again."
k.florin@theday.com
Twitter: @KFLORIN
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