Oxford Animal Control Officer Stole Pure-Bred Puppies: State Police

OXFORD, CT - Cori Wlasuk, 44, Oxford's Animal Control Officer, allegedly stole two pure breed Newfoundland puppies and forged official state documents to receive free veterinary care for the dogs, according to the Oxford Resident State Troopers' office, who arrested her on warrants Sunday.

The incidents are alleged to have occurred in 2011 and 2014, when Wlasuk is accused stealing the dogs and keeping them at her Southbury home for herself.

In the first case, she is accused of taking a black Newfie that had been turned into the pound, forging a friend's name to adopt the dog, and again forging the same friend's name to obtain a free state sterilization voucher. She is alleged to have then illegally registered the dog as living at the shelter, which entitled it to veterinary care paid for by the town.

State police said that in 2014, after a brown Newfie was turned into the shelter, she again took the dog home instead of impounding the animal. She subsequently told the owner that she wanted to buy the dog privately and paid them cash for the animal, state police said. Again, she is accused of forging documents to illegally obtain free spaying and veterinary care.

A local resident complained to town officials about what allegedly was going on, and Trooper Vicki Donohoe of the Oxford Resident State Troopers' office, which is a division of the Connecticut State Police, launched an investigation into Wlasuk's activities.

“As an officer, Wlasuk was forging state documents and state reports in order to receive free veterinarian care for her canines,” wrote state police in a statement. “State of Connecticut Department of Agriculture records show that Wlasuk has received three written warnings in the past for Failure to Investigate a Dog Bite, for Importing Dogs Without Health Certificates, and for Falsifying a State of Connecticut Animal Population Control Program document.”

State police added that Wlasuk is also the subject of pending investigations “for two counts of Failure to Quarantine a Biting Dog, Failure to Fill Out a Dog Bite report and for Placing a Biting Dog Which is a Nuisance by Reason of Vicious Disposition.”

In relation to the alleged 2011 and 2014 incidents, Wlasuk turned herself in to state police custody Sunday on charges of two counts of Larceny 3rd and five counts of Forgery 2nd. She was released after posting a $5,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Derby Superior Court on May 5.

Photo: Cori Wlasuk. Photo credit: Connecticut State Police