CONTACT: NATHAN LEDERMAN 508-584-8120
WAREHAM – A Middleboro woman has pleaded not guilty to charges that she allegedly neglected 26 animals at her Middleboro home, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
Today, at her arraignment in Wareham District Court, Kimberly Savino, 43, pleaded not guilty to 26 charges of Animal Cruelty To By Custodian, Subsequent Offense.
The charges follow a lengthy investigation by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals-Angell, which eventually involved the Middleboro Police Department. In April, MSPCA officers contacted Savino for a routine check on horses owned by the defendant. While inspecting the property, officers found Savino’s horses to be significantly underweight and were being fed with “very poor-quality hay,” according to their report.
Over the next several months, after being advised by MSPCA officers on how to help improve the health of her horses, investigators found Savino continued to insufficiently feed and care for them. Between June 28 and October 16, Savino canceled and rescheduled at least nine appointments to have the horses weighed and assessed.
On October 18, MSPCA officers in coordination with Middleboro Police, executed search warrants for the horses at Savino’s property and her home. Inside the home, Middleboro police and animal control located 17 dogs, and two cats left in deplorable conditions in the basement. All 26 animals — which includes a guinea pig also found on the property — were recovered from Savino’s property by law enforcement, and were taken into the care of professionals at the MSPCA-Angell Animal Medical Center.
As a result, on October 30, Middleboro Police sought and obtained criminal complaints charging Savino with neglecting 17 dogs, two cats, and a guinea pig in her care. Additionally, the MSPCA obtained a separate criminal complaint charging Savino with neglecting six horses.
Assistant District Attorney Nicole Lawson is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by Middleboro Police and MSPCA law enforcement personnel.