Date: Fri 24-Jul-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

police-cruelty-Spremullo

Full Text:

Cruelty Charge Against Local Man Is Dismissed

A Danbury Superior Court judge has dismissed a charge of cruelty to animals

lodged in June against a local man after a pony that man owned died.

Earlier this month, the judge dismissed one count of cruelty to animals that

had been filed against John Spremullo, 47, of 42 Black Bridge Road, Sandy

Hook, in connection with an investigation performed by the Connecticut Humane

Society.

The humane society investigation followed a February complaint from a local

resident about the appearance of horses owned by Spremullo.

Newtown police filed an arrest warrant against Spremullo in the case June 2.

In making the arrest, police explained that two horses of four horses kept by

Spremullo at his property appeared extremely thin. During the humane society's

investigation into the complaint against Spremullo, a pony died, police have

said.

Cruelty to animals is a misdemeanor punishable to up to one year in jail.

The results of a necropsy performed on the dead pony by the state reportedly

indicated it had several medical problems not directly related to food

consumption, including a tumor, kidney problems, gastritis and arthritis.

Humane society officials weren't available for comment on the case.