CT woman now faces 42 counts of animal cruelty after three adult dogs and a litter of six puppies died while under her care, authorities said.

The charges, filed in both Winsted and Norwalk, follow allegations that the animals suffered severe weight loss and lacked adequate nutrition during the period they were in Smolak’s custody. Local animal control agencies typically investigate such complaints by responding to reports, gathering evidence, and documenting the nature of the complaint and animal descriptions, which may involve removing animals in distress. Norwalk Police arrested Smolak last week on two additional counts tied to the case, boosting the total number of charges against her.

Court records show Smolak appeared in state Superior Court in Stamford on May 28, 2024. She was represented at the appearance by attorney James Saraceni. Her case was continued to an October 2024 court date in Stamford, according to CT Insider reports.

Documents reviewed by local outlets describe a sequence of care beginning in November and continuing through December that investigators tied to the animals’ decline. Among the records are weight logs supplied by the City of San Antonio Animal Care Services; those records show that a German shepherd mix named Tammy suffered a weight loss of 9.8 pounds, and that a German shepherd named Penelope had a recorded weight of 50.2 pounds on Nov. 11, 2024. Common signs of animal neglect include lack of basic needs such as adequate food, clean water, and shelter, as well as poor physical condition indicating extreme thinness and untreated wounds.

Police allege the deaths included three adult dogs and all six puppies from a single litter, and that the cause was a lack of nutrition while the animals were being cared for by Smolak. The warrant and charging documents filed in connection with the case contain descriptions of severe weight loss among the animals.

Neither court filings nor police statements provided additional public details about how each count corresponds to specific animals or the precise dates of the animals’ deaths. Smolak faces animal cruelty charges arising from both Norwalk and Winsted, and her Norwalk charges are being handled in Stamford Superior Court while the Winsted/Winchester-related matters have been handled in other courts.

Local reporting on the investigation and the charging documents appears in regional outlets, including The Hour and CT Insider, which reviewed the warrant and related materials outlining the allegations against Smolak.

Smolak’s attorney, James Saraceni, entered an appearance for his client at the Stamford hearing on May 28. Court scheduling documents list the next formal step as the October court date.

The organizations named in public records include Norwalk Police, which executed the recent arrest, and the City of San Antonio Animal Care Services, which furnished weight records used in the investigation. Those agency records contributed to the case file reviewed by investigators and prosecutors in both cities. Connecticut officials and animal welfare advocates have raised concerns about animal cruelty and neglect, but specific statewide percentage increases in reported offenses over the past two years are not detailed in the cited case coverage.

The case remains active in the state judicial system as it moves toward the arraignment date. Prosecutors have brought a total of 42 counts across Norwalk and Winsted; Norwalk Police added two counts during a recent arrest that increased the overall tally.

Source

Original reporting: view the original article.