"CAT LADY" LOSES HER CATS

Congratulations Stratford taxpayers, on March 14, 2014, Stratford Animal Control won it’s civil case against 92 year old Marion Perreira and her 4 cats, Max, Simon, Pumpkin, and Lucy have now become the property of the Town of Stratford. Great job Stratford ACO’s. But what did this cost the Taxpayers?

The 4 cats that were seized, spent 2 ½ yrs. at the Animal Shelter at a cost of $15.00 per day, per cat for 192 days. This comes to $54,720.00. Medical expenses for these cats during this time, including grooming charges by Snow Flake Kennels came to $2,500.00(grooming charges?) At this time, Town Attorney’s fees and court costs have not yet been calculated, but we can assume it will be in the 10’s of thousands. Also there are overtime fees for ACO’s court appearances. (I will obtain these costs and post them at a later date), but so far it is $57,220.00 and counting. $14,305.00 per cat.

In criminal court animal cruelty charges against Mrs. Perreira were dropped because the vet who examined the cats in Oct. 2011, Dr. Block of Shakespeare Vet. Hospital, declined to testify in the criminal case. In the civil case, Judge Stodolink found Mrs. Perreira guilty of neglect. This is deja vu all over again. Remember O.J., not guilty in criminal court of murder, but guilty in civil court for which he was sued. Mrs. Perreira was fined $4,000.00. This is a net loss of $53,220.00 to the Town of Stratford’s Taxpayers.

If you include the costs of the Dawn Peiger case, which took 10 months to adjudicate, brought by Stfd. Animal Control for 11 counts of animal cruelty, something is obviously wrong with this entire system. The O.J.  Simpson murder trial lasted from Jan. 1995 to Oct. 1995, 9 months. The civil trial was less than 9 months. I’m sure we can all agree that there is something wrong when a simple case of animal cruelty lasts 1 year longer than O.J.’s criminal AND civil trials put together. Again, great job Stratford ACO’s and Town Attorney’s Office. ATTENTION MAYOR HARKINS!!!!!