A 78-year-old woman is facing 55 counts of animal cruelty after Connecticut State Police and Tri Town Regional Animal Control seized dogs, hens and a rooster from her property last week.
Jean Jameson, 78, was charged after police seized 43 dogs, 11 hens and one rooster from the property they described as “unsanitary.” An unfit for human occupancy sign is now taped to the front door of the home.
“It was very sad to hear that someone in Deep River needed assistance like this,” Deep River First Selectwoman Carol Doak-Jones said. “Sad case for the dogs, sad case for the elderly people living there.”
Back in April 2023, police said Tri Town Regional Animal Control received a complaint of barking dogs at the home, and when they responded, Jameson said she bred dogs at the residence and had a kennel license.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
While there, they noticed some of the dogs on the property showed signs of possible maltreatment. They confirmed Jameson was licensed, but only for up to 30 dogs.
From September 2023 through January 2024, animal control officers attempted to perform a required kennel check multiple times, but said Jameson refused to allow them to enter.
“Fifty-plus animals in a house on half an acre is like putting an elephant on a postage stamp. Nothing good can come of that,” Zilla Cannamela of Desmond’s Army said. “It’s disheartening, it’s infuriating that somebody allows it to get to that point under the guise of being a breeder.”
On Jan. 3, animal control received a call from staff at a veterinary hospital reporting potential animal cruelty, after a dog, allegedly belonging to Jameson, arrived at the hospital with “severe medical conditions” which resulted in euthanasia.
A week later, animal control officers and local police conducted an inspection of the kennel, and found “unsanitary conditions” including “dirt, trash, urine and fecal matter” within the home.
“Investigators ultimately determined that the residence was unsuitable for the housing of animals. It was also observed that there was not adequate food or water available for the dogs and that some of the dogs had matted, unclean fur,” police wrote in a press release.
On Jan. 25, state police and animal control officers served a search warrant at the home, with help from the Tri Town Animal Control Officer, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, multiple animal control officers from throughout Connecticut and the Deep River police. That’s when 43 dogs, three hens, and one rooster were seized from inside the home, and an additional eight hens were seized from the property.
All were medically evaluated by a vet, police said, and are now spread out among several animal control facilities across the area.
“I’ve just heard nice things about the couple, so I think it was just a matter of being overwhelmed,” the first selectwoman said.
Doak-Jones said 20 of the 43 dogs are being cared for at the Essex Town Animal Control. She said the town of Deep River is assisting Jameson and her husband while they’re displaced from their home.
“We did have some mutual aid with other town dog pounds because we’re at capacity, we’re at 20,” she said. “Other towns were able to help us out and take three dogs, four dogs.”
She said donations have been pouring in for the animals, and more are needed. The shelter is in need of small-breed dog food, wet food, pee pads, paper towels and wipes. People can drop off their donations at Deep River Town Hall, and leave their name if they’re interested in adoption in the future.
“You put it out there and people just respond. It’s very heartwarming,” she said.
Jameson was released with a promise to appear at Middletown Superior Court next week, with a condition that she does not possess animals of any type.
