Neglected Horses Lead to Cruelty Charges Against Suffield Man

SUFFIELD, CT — Concluding a month-long investigation, animal control officers of the Suffield Police Department have arrested a local man on charges of animal cruelty.

Robert Sumner, 56, whose last known address is 669 South Street, Suffield, was arrested last week following the investigation, which was initiated after complaints were received by police about concerns whether three horses located on the property were being adequately cared for, Capt. Christopher McKee said.

Further investigation by Suffield animal control officers revealed that, over the course of twenty-two spot check inspections conducted at varying times and days of the week, the three horses did not have sufficient, if any, food. Additionally, during almost all inspections, water was either not provided to the horses or was frozen over and not accessible for consumption, McKee said.

Sumner was issued a summons to appear at Enfield Superior Court on Jan. 16. He was released at the scene on a written promise to appear bond.

Suffield Animal Control Officers are continuing to monitor the horses’ well-being, as well as coordinating with judicial, state, and other agencies to ensure the care of these animals, McKee said.

According to documents publicly available on the Connecticut Department of Justice web site, Sumner is currently named as the defendant in civil litigation pertaining to his use of the property, dating to early spring 2017 when he began boarding horses at that address.

The filed complaint reads, in part, "While the Defendant was boarding the horses at the premises, the Defendant failed to properly care for and neglected the horses and has allowed these horses to leave the premises and enter upon abutting neighbors' lands. As a result of these actions, the neighbors' premises has been damaged and the Suffield Animal Control Officer has approached the representative of the Plaintiff."

The complaint added Sumner was served notice to vacate the premises by May 12, 2017, but did not do so. A judge ruled in favor of the plaintiff, Indra Fields LLC, on June 27, with execution of teh order delayed until Aug. 18.

Additional blight and safety concerns relating to Sumner’s use of this property are ongoing by a multidisciplinary collaborative between the Suffield Police Animal Control Division, the Town of Suffield Building Inspector, Suffield Fire Department, and the North Central District Health Department.

Archive photo courtesy of Suffield Police Department