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Windham County resident Tracy Donovan, age 59, of Woodstock, was arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 21, and charged with 103 counts of animal cruelty, Connecticut State Police said. According to court records, she was being held on a $150,000 bond.
Investigators were first alerted to the "deplorable conditions" inside the Route 169 home in January after a property acquisition firm sent an inspector to the house.
The house was filled with dozens of dogs and littered with trash and animal feces, the inspector said in a police complaint.
Urine had penetrated through the home's subfloor and created a rank stench that could be smelled more than 50 feet away from the 2,000-square-foot home
Police again were notified of the animals in June, when someone told animal control officers that Donovan was offering skinny, dirty, and malnourished dogs and puppies for sale.
When officers knocked on the door, they heard dogs crying and whimpering in distress, police said.
Inside, officers found more than 100 animals — 96 dogs, two cats, two exotic birds, a wild rabbit, and two goats — during a search of the home in July. None had access to food, water, or "wholesome air," the police report said. All were sick, and some had visible signs of extreme symptoms.
Four of the dogs were too ill to stand when police arrived. Veterinarians determined they would likely die soon and put them down as a humane measure, police said. Other animals suffered from skin conditions, malnutrition, flea infestations, and respiratory issues.
Veterinarians blamed the poor living conditions and "irreversible neglect."
An email to investigators about the current whereabouts and condition of the animals was not immediately returned.
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