Enfield Women Accused of Cruelty to Animals

ENFIELD, CT — A pair of Enfield women entrusted with the care of a number of pets were arrested Tuesday on a warrant charging them with cruelty to animals.

Jessica Rozalski, 32, of 97 Prospect St., was released on a $5,000 nonsurety bond. Tammy Rozalski, 40, of 26 Cora St., was released on $500 nonsurety bond. Both women are scheduled to appear in Enfield Superior Court Feb. 14.

According to a police report, officers were called to an apartment on Cottage Green Jan. 21 at 7:30 p.m. for a possible burglary. Jessica Rozalski met police and told them she was taking care of her parents' animals while they were away, and that someone had stolen three bearded dragons, a type of lizard.

Police noted a "rancid odor in the house," and upon entering, discovered numerous animals and reptiles, including 13 cats, rabbits, snakes, geckos and lizards. Many of them appeared to be in bad shape, Police Chief Carl Sferrazza said.

A man who said he was working at a home in the neighborhood told police he had seen several distressed animals, and believed they and the apartment itself had been abandoned, so he tried to help by removing the bearded dragons, Sferrazza said.

Online judicial records indicate the residents of the apartment, Stanley and Linda Rozalski, have been incarcerated since Nov. 22, 2016 pending charges of sale of narcotics and conspiracy.

In a report, Animal Control Officer David Yoho said all of the animals were removed from the apartment and brought to a local veterinarian. Two of the cats were considerably underweight, and a reptile known as a uromastyx eventually died, Sferrazza said.

Photos courtesy of Enfield Police Department