Southington Couple Arrested on Animal Cruelty Charges

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A Southington couple has been arrested on animal cruelty charges for severely neglecting dogs, police said.

At about 9 p.m. on Monday, Jason Savage, 41, and his wife, Kelly Savage, 38 of Southington, were arrested on a warrant warrant at their home, police said.

Both were charged with cruelty to animals, rabies vaccination violations and failure to comply with dog

ownership requirements, police said. They were held overnight on $5,000 bonds and were to appear in court on Tuesday, police said.

Police said the warrant stems from an investigation initiated by the Southington Animal Control Division on Feb. 21. The division had received reports that three dogs were abandoned in a basement bedroom of the Savages' raised ranch home.

According to a report, animal control officers found the conditions in the bedroom "uninhabitable" with trash and feces covering the floor.

One of the dogs had been removed from the residence prior to the arrival of animal control officers, but the other two dogs were found to be in "poor health," with flea infestations and "emanating an unhealthy odor."

Animal control officers located the third dog at another residence and it also had fleas, had the same smell and was, "stained with urine and feces," according to a report.

Animal control officers took custody of all three dogs and transported arranged veterinary care for them, police said.

Two of the dogs had to be euthanized, according to a report.

The remaining dog was treated by a local veterinarian and is being cared for by the Southington Animal Control Division, according to a report.

During the course of the investigation, animal control officers could find no proof that the dogs had been vaccinated, according to a report.

Photo Credit: Southington Police Department