CONNECTICUT -- Norman Fortier Jr., who quit as assistant dog warden following a complaint that he had drowned a cat at the dog pound, was charged Thursday with two counts of cruelty to animals.
Fortier faces one charge for apparently leaving the badly injured feline to suffer and slowly die at the dog pound, and a second charge for then grabbing the suffering and cat inflicting more suffering and a horrific death by drowning the cat in a bucket after another dog warden had discovered the animal and complained.
Fortier, 54, turned himself in at police headquarters Thursday after learning that a warrant had been issued in the case. He was released on a promise to appear in Superior Court on May 14. His phone went unanswered Thursday night.
Police officials have said that Fortier's actions violated department policies, and Mayor William Stortz publicly apologized last month for Fortier's actions.
Police began an internal investigation after an animal control officer from Plymouth reported seeing Fortier deliberately drown the cat on March 31.
Chief John DiVenere said Fortier CLAIMED to investigators that he killed the animal because he thought it was so badly injured that it would not have survived a trip to a veterinarian.
Police said Fortier found the injured animal during his work shift on March 31 and concluded that it had been hit by a car. He took the cat to the animal pound on Vincent P. Kelly Road, and apparently drove away to handle a call, police said.
An animal control officer from Plymouth, which uses Bristol's pound, discovered the animal. It's unclear how long the cat had been left bleeding and semiconscious at the pound. Police were notified, and a dispatcher sent Fortier to the pound. When Fortier arrived, he drowned the cat in a bucket of water, according to the Plymouth officer.
Police commanders put Fortier on administrative leave, and he submitted his resignation just before the start of a disciplinary hearing, according to DiVenere.
Fortier had held the full-time job for seven years and was paid about $38,000 a year.
(Hartford Courant - May 4, 2007)
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