Owners of 71 Rescued Dachshunds Face Animal Cruelty Charges
The owners of 71 neglected Dachshunds are facing charges weeks after the dogs—some underweight and covered in their own excrement– were rescued and taken to MSPCA adoption centers around Boston. The law enforcement department for MSPCA-Angell shelters announced today it has filed a total of 14 counts of felony animal cruelty against Shirley and Edward Aguiar of Westminster.
The Aguiars face seven counts of animal cruelty each for allegedly failing to provide their pets with a sanitary environment. The couple voluntarily surrendered the animals on January 5, after some of the dogs were discovered freezing in outdoor cages. The Westminster Animal Control removed the fur-matted dogs, which had not shown any signs of hypothermia. After being rescued, 29 of the dogs went to an MSPCA facility in Methuen, and others were brought to MSPCA’s Boston shelter.
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The MSPCA told Boston.com last month that the gaggle of dogs was doing well after being rescued from the Harrington Road. residence. An animal care supervisor said they were “surprisingly’’ happy. “Luckily these guys are doing really well behaviorally,’’ she said. “A lot of them are right at the front of the kennel [and] really social.’’
According to the MSPCA all but one of the dogs have been adopted.
An arraignment date for the couple has not yet been announced. Animal cruelty felonies in Massachusetts are punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
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