One Arrested for Animal Abandonment: Coventry Police Looking for Second Suspect

COVENTRY, RI — The case of the two cats abandoned at the Taco Bell has resulted in one arrest. Saturday night, Coventry Police arrested Stacey Derouin, 41, of Cranston. She is a suspect in an animal abandonment case, police said.

Witnesses saw two people drop the cats off on a grassy strip near the drive-thru at the Taco Bell, 784 Tiogue Ave., then order food and leave. Police responded on Jan. 26 at 12:51 a.m. and confirmed the account by looking at surveillance video.

The cats were taken to Coventry Animal Control.

Police turned to social media and the press in an effort to find the two people. An anonymous caller tipped the police on Jan. 28.

Stacey Derouin and Kenneth Germani were possible suspects, the caller said. Derouin responded to the police officer's request to come in and speak with an officer. She did so at 11:30 p.m. Saturday night. According to her statement, she had tried to contact several animal shelters but could not find one to take her cats.

She was charged with two counts of Abandonment of Animals from a Motor Vehicle, with a pending District Court date of 2-8-2017. She was also cited for two (2) counts of Rabies Vaccine Required, with a pending Coventry Municipal Court date of 2-28-2017. She was released from the police department on Summonses to appear in court.

The investigation is on-going in connection to the male suspect, Kenneth Germani. Police are looking for him for questioning.