State Officials: Animal Control Officer Threw Dog Against Wall

CONNECTICUT -- An animal control officer was charged with cruelty to animals because she allegedly threw a dog against a wall, a state legislator said Tuesday.

"She picked up a small dog and threw it against the wall," state Rep. Diana Urban, a Democrat representing Stonington and North Stonington, said Tuesday of Animal Control Officer Karen Lombardi. Urban, an animal lover, learned the allegation from Ray Connors, chief of the state Department of Agriculture's animal control division.

A volunteer witnessed the incident, Urban said.

Lombardi, 59, turned herself in Monday and was arrested on a warrant, police said.

The arrest stems from a November incident at the Woodbridge Municipal Animal Control facility, Sgt. Frank Cappiello said Monday. He said the animal involved was domesticated, not wild, but gave no details of the incident, citing the ongoing investigation. He could not be reached Tuesday morning.

Lombardi was released on a promise to appear in Superior Court in New Haven on April 19. She remains on the job, Cappiello said.

Reached by phone Monday afternoon, Lombardi said she couldn't comment about her arrest and referred questions to her attorney, William Dow.

Dow said his client will plead not guilty.

"Karen Lombardi is a longtime, honored and respected employee of the town. Her love and affection for animals is recognized by anyone who knows her," he said.

The animal control facility serves the towns of Woodbridge, Bethany and Derby, according its Facebook page.

(The Hartford Courant - April 9, 2013)