Police: Multiple Animal Cruelty Charges Levied Against Hamden Woman

Ladies and Gentlemen, we present to you the haunting eyes, in all of their mug shot glory, of an alleged animal abuser here in Connecticut.

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According to a press release we received from the Hamden Police Department, that is the booking photo of 59 year old Hamden resident, Donna Scirocco. She was arrested yesterday, December 15, 2020, after turning herself in at Hamden Police Headquarters. The arrest culminates a two month investigation that started on October 26, 2020.

In October, the Assistant Animal Control Officer Parris Gibbs of the Hamden Animal Control Division, along with additional team members, and animal control units from around the state, including Southbury, Cheshire, East Haven and North Haven, executed a search and seizure warrant at Scirocco's residence on Blue Hills Avenue.

According to the police report, the Animal Control Officers found 3 dead animals: 2 dead cats, and a dead woodchuck. Officers also seized: A blind owl, 6 dogs, 26 live cats, 2 large rats, 2 caged squirrels, and a dog barely clinging to life. In addition, some taxidermic animals were also found in the residence.

Scirocco has been charged with 6 counts of Cruelty to Animals, and was detained on a $5,000 bond. Scirocco is scheduled to appear at Meriden Superior Court on February 5, 2021.

How much wood did the dead woodchuck chuck? Before he ended up dead in Hamden? Whoooo knows? Maybe the blind owl heard something? Sorry, I can't help myself. I hope the barely alive dog made it to safety, there wasn't an update on it's condition in the press release.