- Massachusetts, USA -
~ Update: May 14, 2022
Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan announced that 49-years-old SHANNON RICE-NICHOLS (pictured) appeared at Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown on Thursday, May 12 for her arraignment.
RICE-NICHOLS, of Hadley, was represented in court by defense attorney Marissa Elkins.
RICE-NICHOLS pleaded not guilty to 35 felony counts of animal cruelty.
DA Sullivan said in a news release that Eastern Hampshire District Judge Bruce Melikian ordered RICE-NICHOLS released on personal recognizance and prohibited her from possessing any farm animals.
An additional condition is that she stays away from Thistlebloom Farm, where the animals had boarded.
The case is being prosecuted by Northwestern Assistant District Attorneys Erin Aiello and Matthew Russo, attorney-in-charge at Eastern Hampshire District Court.
Additional Source:
~ Original story:
On March 14, Carol Hepburn, an Amherst animal welfare officer contacted the Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) requesting assistance after several cows and goats were found neglected on a farm.
Responding officers discovered nearly two dozen goats and close to a dozen cattle who were neglected, malnourished, and infected with both internal and external parasites.
One cow and two goats were suffering and sadly had to be euthanized at the scene.
Tom Grenham, director of law enforcement at the MSPCA, said: “Unfortunately, our team was unable to save three animals who needed to be humanely euthanized by a veterinarian on the scene, which reinforces the disturbing nature of the case.”
Unexpectedly, officers also discovered that the cows are an endangered breed.
Mike Keiley, director of adoption centers and programs at the MSPCA-Angell, told Western Mass News that the majority of the cows are ‘Kerry’ cattle, an endangered breed originally from Ireland. This led to a connection with the American Kerry Cattle Association.
MSPCA-Angell said in a press release: “According to the American Kerry Cattle Association, these cows—and those like them—are most probably descendants of the Celtic Shorthorn, which were brought to Ireland as early as 2000 B.C. Kerries were first imported to the U.S. beginning in 1818 but have all but disappeared from the American landscape.”
Director Keiley said: “We are working closely with the American Kerry Cattle Association now to help identify an adopter to ensure these individual animals will be well cared for and to aid in the preservation of this majestic breed. We’re excited that the work we have done to protect and care for these animals may also prevent this breed of cattle from going extinct.”
On April 26, part of a Facebook post by MSPCA-Angell read: “Eight very rare ‘Kerry’ cattle, along with one Holstein cow as well as Saanen, Lamancha and Alpine-mix goats are available for adoption at the MSPCA at Nevins Farm following an animal cruelty investigation of an Amherst property. These animals came from severe conditions, and our law enforcement department has pressed charges against the previous owner.”
Thirty-five (35) counts of felony animal cruelty have been filed against 49-years-old SHANNON RICE-NICHOLS.
RICE-NICHOLS, of Hadley, will be arraigned on May 12, 2022, in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown.
Animal cruelty is punishable by up to seven years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000.
Daily Hampshire Gazette reached out to RICE-NICHOLS for comments which she referred to her attorney, Marissa Elkins of Elkins, Auer, Rudof, & Schiff LLC in Northampton.
“Elkins didn’t immediately return a phone call seeking comment”, reports Daily Hampshire Gazette.
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