West Springfield pair arraigned on animal abuse charges involving pit bull puppy Max

MASSACHUSETTS -- A man and woman from West Springfield have denied felony charges of allowing an 11-year-old in their home to viciously abuse a pit bull puppy named Max.

The dog suffered such severe brain trauma and broken bones that veterinarians considered euthanizing him.

Jason Nieves, 31, and Jacquelyn Hadley, 26, were arraigned Monday in Springfield District Court, about two months after Max was dropped off at the Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center. Nieves and a friend allegedly claimed he was a stray.

 

 

 

Hadley was given a court-appointed attorney and released on her own recognizance. Nieves said he will hire an attorney and the judge set his bail at $1,000 personal surety. They are being tried together; their next court date is Feb. 24.

The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, working with TJO and West Springfield Animal Control Officer Hannah Chapman, investigated the family's story and brought felony charges against both adults and the juvenile. The boy's court proceedings were closed to the public and prosecutors have not identified him or his relationship to Nieves and Hadley.

Court documents claim the boy took pleasure in abusing Max, sometimes hitting him with a shovel, and that Hadley said she tried to stop him from assaulting the two cats and two other children in the home.

The dog continues to recover, but brain damage and leg injuries make walking difficult, and sometimes his hind legs cross, causing him to fall on his face. Pam Peebles, director of TJO, said he is being fostered by a longtime volunteer in Holyoke who will seek a canine rehabilitation program after the holidays.

The MSPCA accuses the family of never providing Max with pain medication or veterinary care. Because of the abuse, MSPCA Officer Christine Allenberg filed a complaint with the Department of Children and Families, but those documents and details are confidential.

In 2012, Nieves pleaded guilty to one count of assault and battery on a child and was sentenced to four years of probation. He was given credit for the 279 days he spent in jail while awaiting court proceedings.

"The MSPCA is very confident ... in the strength of our case," said Officer Christine Allenberg after the arraignment. "Our ultimate goal is to make sure that animals are kept safe and that abusers are brought to justice."

(MassLive - Dec 22, 2014)