- Massachusetts, USA -
On February 14, 2023, the Lawrence Police Department and its Animal Control Officer Ellen Bistany were called to a rooming house on 77 South Union Street in Lawrence to investigate an animal cruelty report and met with the building manager.
The building manager told police that neighbors of 52-years-old ELOY NUNEZ approached her and told her that on February 10, 2023, they heard the sound of a pole or stick hitting something and simultaneously heard the sound of a screeching cat.
After these reports, the building manager reviewed surveillance video related to the night of February 10, 2023, and then decided to confront NUNEZ and also ask him to show her the kitten, but she had not seen or heard from NUNEZ since then.
The building manager then showed police the video in question. Police said footage showed NUNEZ leaving his room on multiple occasions while holding the kitten by the scruff of her neck. Police reported that the kitten appeared to be deceased or unconscious and in one instance, NUNEZ could be seen violently and deliberately shaking the defenseless furbaby.
A Lawrence police officer was eventually able to contact NUNEZ over the phone and NUNEZ agreed to meet and speak with the officer at the police station on the afternoon of February 15, 2023.
On the same day that NUNEZ was expected at the police station, ACO Bistany received a report at 9:35 a.m. about a kitten who was found at Haffner's Gas Station on 69 Parker Street so she responded to the scene.
According to police reports, the kitten was found in a brown box in which were a small amount of cat food, a T-shirt, cut-up pajama pants and a few cat toys.
Police said it appeared that the kitten could not use her hind legs and was struggling to lay upright. That morning, when ACO Bistany responded to the gas station, it was 34 degrees and the kitten was visibly trembling from the cold, and was whinnying uncontrollably, said police.
ACO Bistany took the voiceless victim to Bulgers Veterinary Hospital in Lawrence to be medically assessed. According to veterinarians' initial medical evaluation, the approximately 10-week-old kitten had some sort of neurological damage caused by blunt force trauma or oxygen loss. Additionally, the kitten was unable to use her hind legs and due to her injuries, could have potentially needed to be euthanized.
According to a police report, the kitten looked like the one who was in the video with NUNEZ. Furthermore, when an officer showed a photo of the abandoned kitten to the building manager, she “adamantly confirmed” she was NUNEZ’s kitten.
Police learned from additional surveillance footage that on February 15, 2023, at 4:50 a.m. NUNEZ left his room with the same brown box the kitten was found in.
In view of those findings, Lawrence police took possession of another cat that NUNEZ had. The second cat was determined to be healthy with no obvious injuries, scratches or bleeding.
In the afternoon of February 15, 2023, NUNEZ did go to the police station and when he talked to investigators, he eventually admitted to leaving the kitten in the box at the gas station. He further admitted to smacking the kitten many times on the head with an open hand after she bit him. At the end of the interview, NUNEZ was placed under arrest for animal cruelty.
After NUNEZ was arrested, police reviewed city surveillance footage and more details came to light. New footage showed NUNEZ leaving the rooming house with the brown box in his hands and putting it in the passenger's side of his vehicle. The vehicle was then seen pulling into Haffner's Gas Station and NUNEZ was seen leaving the box by the single-car wash bays, which is where the box was found by the gas station's manager.
Following this new evidence, police also charged NUNEZ with evidence tampering.
In all this sickening story, the good news is that thanks to Bulgers Veterinary Hospital and Sweet Paws Rescue in Groveland, the kitten now named Seraphina, is expected to FULLY RECOVER!
Ms. Sarah Goldoni, who volunteers to foster furbabies for Sweet Paws Rescue, told WCVB that despite the ordeal Seraphina experienced, she is a sweet and playful kitten. “She loves to purr. You hold her and she just melts into your arms,” said Ms. Goldoni. She also explained that Seraphina is “strictly on crate rest right now for six to eight weeks to heal, but we do take her out a couple of hours a day and just kind of hold her and cuddle her.”
As I visited Sweet Paws Rescue Facebook page to share Seraphina’s pictures, I saw a post published by the nonprofit advising that NUNEZ’S bail was reduced from $10,000 to $1,000 and is now out walking our streets!
Sweet Paws Rescue rightfully asked: “What is the point of humane laws if there are no consequences? I’ve been in rescue for 18 years and have yet to see any of Massachusetts laws actually protect our animals. Not only that, the abusers get off with a slap on the wrist. Its 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 that this man is walking the streets.”
Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.
Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
#animalcruelty #crueldadanimal #cruautéanimale #tierquälerei #animalslivesmatter #kittens #deathpenaltyforanimalabusers #massachusetts #lawrence #lawmakers
