Police investigate animal control officer

NBC 10 News
Published: October 7, 2008

WARWICK, R.I.—Warwick police are investigating two incidents of animal cruelty involving an animal control officer.

Police have not released the name of the officer.

Police said one of the incidents happened in August and involved two kittens left at the Warwick Animal Shelter.

“One of them was in desperate need of veterinary care and was immediately euthanized when the vet came in,” said Ann Corvin, director of the Warwick Animal Shelter. “The other was fine.”

Corvin said the officer left a maggot-infested kitten in the shelter’s vet room. The procedure is to take the animal to a veterinarian hospital.

“That’s not something that I would consider to be acceptable,” she said.

Police said the other incident, which happened on Sept. 3, involved the killing of a baby squirrel at the Warwick Police Department.

“We are working with the outside independent agency—the SPCA (Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), which just completed one of the reports on one of the incidents,” said Col. Stephen McCartney of the Warwick Police Department. “We’re hoping to get the second report soon.”

A phone call to the R.I. SPCA was not returned.

McCartney said the issue of whether the sick kitten being brought to the shelter will be part of the investigation.

“A lot of times it’s about a question of judgment. I think that’s one of the issues that are going to be under investigation,” he said.

McCartney said the employee is still on the job pending the outcome of the investigation. He said the case will be forwarded to the Attorney General.

The owner of the kittens will also be part of the investigation, McCartney said.