The Southbury First Selectman’s office wants to discourage people from visiting the town’s animal shelter after more than 30 animals were seized from a home on Georges Hill Road last month.
The release from Ed Edelson’s office comes just days after Nancy Boeckel appeared in court, facing 34 charges of animal cruelty after officials seized 31 dogs and three cats from her George Hills Rd. home in September.
“The recent events regarding the seizure of dogs by the Town of Southbury has created many challenges for the Animal Control Office of the Town,” the release said. “This has been compounded by some inappropriate comments by individuals encouraging people to visit the animal shelter. We ask that the public refrain from coming to the site unless they have prior permission from the Animal Control office. This is to protect the animals and the citizens.”
The release goes on to say that the animals that were seized are upset by their situation and are under medical care for many different aliments. Having people visit them is not helpful towards their recovery.
Boeckel says that she was running an animal rescue business and that none of the animals were abused or neglected. She said that all of the animals were in worse shape when they first came to her than they are now and that they have all been improving.
"I want the people to know that I am not a hoarder," Boeckel said in an interview with NBC Connecticut in September. "If they could only see what the dogs looked like when they came to me."
George Krivda of the State Department of Agriculture said the dogs would not have been seized if there wasn’t a real concern for their well-being.
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Krivda noted that the dogs suffered from parasites, eye infections and tumors.
Animal control plans to seek probation for Boeckel and try to limit the number of animals she can have.
