Correspondence over the last decade between city officials, humane society volunteers and residents obtained through a Freedom of Information request reveal longstanding concerns over conditions within the facility, the number of animals and the group’s contentious relationship with Meriden Animal Control.
The Record-Journal obtained over 1,000 documents detailing the city’s concerns with the humane society, including questions over vaccinations and the society’s failure to address issues brought up by the city.
‘A bit overwhelmed’
Hopes were high when the $1.2 million city-funded Murdock Avenue facility opened in 2004, providing a joint home for the humane society and Meriden Animal Control. The 12,000-square-foot structure was an upgrade from the humane society’s former Oregon Road location, which had plumbing issues and a leaky ceiling.
In 2005, the humane society entered into a 10-year lease, renting the east side of the building for $1 per year. As a condition of the lease, the city paid for water and sewer bills in addition to handling the upkeep of the property.
Less than a year after opening, city staff began to receive complaints regarding odor and issues with the building’s ventilation system, prompting city officials to inspect the building.
After a February 2006 inspection, then Risk Manager Robert Homiski described the humane society’s areas as “deplorable,” according to one email.
“Dogs living with 20 or so feces in their cages, 60+ cats not caged meandering throughout a large room, dogs confined to bathrooms,” Homiski wrote in an email to Beth Vumbaco, the city’s health director at the time. “The stench is unreal and something to be experienced... The custodians cannot work in that environment and become sick. I inspected the city run dog pound and that was immaculate.”
A few days later, Homiski sent a follow up email, stating that in his opinion the ventilation and odor issues at the humane society were not the result of a faulty ventilation system.
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| Meriden Humane Society Director |
“Changing the ventilation system will not eradicate the feces odor or the practices of the staff,” he wrote. “When I inspected the humane society site, dogs were lying, walking and running in their cage filled with so many feces you could play connect the dots. This was after the caretaker assured me that the cages were cleaned in the morning. It was sickening.
“Right now it is a housekeeping problem, a problem that mysteriously does not exist on the city dog pound side,” Homiski noted in the same email.
In June 2006, the City Council voted to appropriate $20,000 to the humane society from the city’s contingency fund to pay outstanding bills owed to Yankee Gas for heating and to veterinarian Dr. Joe St. Clair for services.
As a condition of the appropriation, the council ordered that the facility house no more than 60 cats and 12 dogs, in addition to providing the council with financial and census information on a monthly basis.
Later that year, the city hired a contractor to conduct an HVAC inspection, which concluded in December that, while the type of ventilation system installed was not ideal, no major problems were found with how the system was designed or installed.
Meriden Humane Society Director Marlena DiBianco, who could not be reached for comment, described the struggles the organization faced in a May 5, 2008 email to former City Councilor Tony Tomassetti. She wrote that the organization was “a bit overwhelmed” due to the number of animals needing care.
“I mean the need for help is unbelievable and we are just trying to do our best to help as many animals and people as we can,” DiBianco wrote. “Please understand our position on this and how difficult it is to get as many calls as we do and have as many animals abandoned at our door to not sometimes go over the limit, but no matter how many times we have, we have always gotten the numbers back down and adopted out. The problem is now worse than ever with the poor economy people aren’t buying houses they are selling moving into non-pet friendly apartments and having to surrender their animals or abandon them.”
MORE THAN 230 ANIMALS CRAMMED INTO AN AREA APPROVED FOR ONLY 72
A count by Homiski at that time estimated 195 cats, 32 dogs, three goats and three birds in the humane society’s care, according to a May 2, 2008 email to then City Manager Lawrence J. Kendzior.
“Due to the moving nature of the cats I could be off,” Homiski noted in the email. “I did not inspect the area for safety violations. The custodian of the animals was a bit irritated so I thought it was best to get in and out.”
Growing concerns
After the humane society reported nearly $60,000 in unpaid veterinary bills in 2010, the City Council voted to lease part of the Murdock Avenue property facing Interstate 91 to a billboard company to help pay off the bills, according to Record-Journal archives. The company, CBS Outdoor Inc., agreed to pay the city $2,000 a month to lease the space in addition to a $25,000 signing bonus. City Attorney Deborah Moore said $20,000 of that went to pay the humane society’s bills.
At the time, then City Councilor George McGoldrick expressed concerns about assisting the nonprofit.
“I think we need to be clear that we are not assuming responsibility for the operation of the bills of the humane society,” McGoldrick wrote in an email.
On February 17, 2011, Police Captain Michael Zakrzewski requested a health inspection be done at the humane society “as soon as possible.”
“I have a situation that is getting worse,” Zakrzewski wrote in an email to Vumbaco. “The front entry area where the public enters is completely disgusting with an overpowering smell of cat urine that actually burns your eyes because the humane society is storing cats in the lobby. I also believe that the (humane society) has taken over the public restrooms and is using them to store animals. We need to correct this situation and declaring it a health issue is the first step.”
In a memo to Kendzior the following day, Vumbaco reported on her inspection.
“The sharp pungent odor of ammonia could be detected in the lot,” Vumbaco wrote. She estimated the shelter was housing 164 cats and 54 dogs at the time. In the same memo, Vumbaco recommended reviewing the city’s lease agreement with the humane society, and that the city hold the organization “accountable to maintain a cleaner, safer environment for a limited number of cats and dogs.”
She also noted the Meriden Animal Control side of the building was in “excellent condition.”
Former City Councilor John Thorpe backed Vumbaco’s assessment at the time, stating that the situation with the humane society “has been allowed to spiral out of control for far too long.”
“All we do is pump money into the society for their utility bills, erect a billboard to help them out and they still can’t pay their bills because they waste money on animals that can’t be saved or adopted,” Thorpe wrote in an email. “It is time something was done!”
In Kendzior’s reply, he noted the group was utilizing the center portion of the building, which is not leased to them, and stated the city has the right to terminate the lease for any reason with 180 days notice.
City officials held a lease compliance meeting with DiBianco on March 17, 2011 to address issues of overcrowding, use of unleased space in the facility and other issues. DiBianco agreed to limit the number of animals to 75 cats and 22 dogs, with special consideration made to certain times of year when the facility receives an influx of kittens and times of economic hardship, when the facility would be allowed to house an additional 10 cats.
DiBianco agreed to remove items from the hallways, cages from the foyer, conduct an air quality test and make other changes at the city’s request.
It was decided that discussion would continue on the humane society’s use of the unleased center room, the ability for cats to roam free in the facility and the adoption process.
“I think the March 17 meeting was productive and will result in a more pleasant adoption experience for the public of Meriden as well as resulting in a well maintained facility the city can be proud of,” DiBianco wrote in a March 18, 2011 email.
Vumbaco conducted another inspection on April 20, 2011 with Homiski and shared findings with DiBianco in a letter the following day, noting while improvements had been made — including reduced odor, cleaner conditions and the removal of animals from the bathrooms — the facility was still housing 157 cats, more than twice the 75 agreed upon. Vumbaco also instructed the humane society to remove all items from the center room not included in their lease.
“Non compliance will result in termination of the lease agreement,” Vumbaco wrote.
Five days later, Vumbaco wrote an email to Kendzior noting that the humane society’s attorney recommended that the group stay in the center room, despite the city’s objection, “since the lease mentions general square footage, but not specific rooms.”
Vumbaco told Kendzior she reiterated to a humane society board member that the center room must be vacated or the lease would be terminated.
A May 27, 2011 inspection by Vumbaco found the humane society to be in possession of 22 dogs and 187 cats, according to an email she sent to Kendzior.
“It was a very contentious visit with Marlena,” Vumbaco stated. “She stated she has responded to you by email and that she plans to contact her attorney to file harassment charges against me.”
On June 7, 2011, Vumbaco conducted another inspection of the humane society, concluding that while the lobby “was the cleanest it has ever been,” and odors in the building “significantly improved,” animal counts still exceeded city imposed limits, with 29 dogs, 207 cats and three ferrets, an increase of 40 animals from the May inspection, according to an email from Vumbaco to Kendzior. She also noted there was no attempt by the humane society to clear the center space occupied without the city’s permission.
In response to Vumbaco’s findings, Kendzior said he had received notice from residents that humane society volunteers thought the city was trying to evict them from the building.
“I wish their attitude was less confrontational and more cooperative,” Kendzior wrote in a June 9, 2011 email.
Later that June, the state Department of Agriculture quarantined the Meriden Animal Control side of the building while allowing the humane society to remain open after an animal showed symptoms of canine parvovirus. During the quarantine, police were notified of a confrontation between animal control officer James Barnes and DiBianco.
The incident between DiBianco and Barnes prompted Police Captain Michael Zakrzewski to contact city staff regarding DiBianco’s leadership of the shelter in a June 26, 2011 email.
“The issues with her keep growing and I am beginning to question her competence to run the MHS,” Zakrzewski wrote. “The (animal control officers) or any other city employees should not have to deal with her abusive behavior which is becoming more and more erratic.”
An animal count by Vumbaco in July 2011 found the humane society to be in possession of 239 animals, of which there were 207 cats, 31 dogs and one ferret. Of the cats, 51 were being stored in the center room.
In July 2011, Kendzior received a message from St. Clair, the veterinarian used by the humane society, claiming the organization owed him $52,430 in outstanding veterinary bills. A note to Kendzior from his secretary said St. Clair expressed doubts about how the humane society was spending its funds.
According to the nonprofit’s 2011 tax records, the humane society had a total income of $427,812, just over $300,000 of which went to their expenses. The organization ended the 2011 fiscal year with $136,754 in net assets and fund balances. It is unclear how much was spent on animal medical expenses that year.
‘Joey Peppers’
State Animal Control Officer Barbara Godejohn inspected the humane society on Oct. 11, 2011, and provided DiBianco with several recommendations to improve the facility, including removing excess clutter, reducing the number of animals and provisions for veterinary services and isolation for sick animals.
A volunteer at the humane society was bitten by a Labrador retriever mix on July 25, 2012. A police report states the humane society could not provide proof of a valid rabies vaccination at the time. The dog was quarantined for 14 days.
Godejohn inspected the facility again Aug. 28, 2012. At that time, she counted 142 cats and 50 dogs.
While noting an improvement from the last inspection, Godejohn said there were still several issues that needed addressing, including the odor and several animals in questionable condition. Some cats appeared to require medical attention, according to a report obtained by the Record-Journal.
In one room, a dog and puppies were being housed in a children’s swimming pool.
“The room was dirty, had a noxious odor, fecal matter smeared on the blankets and floors and the water bucket provided was empty,” Godejohn wrote in the report.
In the humane society’s office, a deformed male boxer named “Joey Peppers” was being stored in a baby crib and was observed “thrashing around” and “unresponsive to external stimuli and emaciated.”
DiBianco told Godejohn the dog had been seen by two veterinarians who said the dog was “doing fine,” although Godejohn questioned the animal’s quality of life in the report.
When asked by Godejohn to produce rabies vaccination paperwork, “DiBianco was not able to produce current vaccination paperwork on approximately 75 percent of animals I asked about,” Godejohn stated in the report.
Godejohn issued a written warning for failure to vaccinate and instructed DiBianco to bring all animals up to date on rabies shots as soon as possible or be penalized with fines.
Following up on her inspection, Godejohn contacted the Animal Hospital of Rocky Hill, which had examined Joey Peppers. She learned the dog had a brain disorder, muscular deformity, curvature of the spine and was unable to walk. A few days later she was contacted by staff at the hospital, who said a veterinarian at the facility “had recommended euthanasia because there was no quality of life.”
“DiBianco refused to euthanize the dog,” Godejohn’s report states.
A staff member from the animal hospital who examined Joey Peppers later contacted Godejohn stating they would no longer be serving the Meriden Humane Society.
Godejohn was contacted by a veterinarian from the Veterinary Specialists of CT in West Hartford, stating the dog was being taken care of and “in decent health.” Physical therapy was recommended, however, Godejohn said paperwork provided showed the dog had not received therapy in nine months.
MONEY RAISED FOR DOG ALLEGEDLY NOT USED ON DOG
A separate, undated document obtained from the city notes a fundraiser had been held in Meriden for Joey Peppers and raised $6,000 to provide therapy for the animal.
The document states the dog was “not receiving any kind of therapy the money was raised for.”
Around the same time period, Deputy Fire Marshal John Yacovino inspected the humane society and noted in an Aug. 31 email to Homiski that he found several code violations, including a 6-inch hole in the duct work in the center room.
“This may be a point of intake that is spreading the smell around the building,” Yacovino noted.
Yacovino was also told by DiBianco a fire had occurred in a clothes dryer a few weeks before his visit that was never reported to the fire department. He recommended that a sprinkler system be installed in the room, and also recommended the hallway be cleared of animal cages after learning that on weekends as many as 60 volunteers occupy the building.
“Two vent holes with fans have been cut in the roof in the area of the center room, not sure if a permit was pulled for work or if the city building inspector looked at the work,” Yacovino also noted.
DiBianco was instructed that the humane society would have 30 days to correct the violations before the next inspection.
“This is a political nightmare,” Homiski wrote in an Aug. 29, 2012 email to Fire Marshal Steve Trella.
End of lease, Saving Paws
The organization’s lease with the city ended in April 2015. City Manager Guy Scaife, who took over after Kendzior’s retirement in September, notes in a letter to the public that the humane society did not immediately reach out to the city to renew the lease.
Scaife said when he met with the group in July, humane society board members were not receptive to giving up the unleased space they occupied in the building and showed an unwillingness to limit the number of animals housed at the facility.
In August, the city started lease negotiations with Saving Paws Inc., a non-profit clinic, which seeks to use the center space now occupied by the humane society. Animal Control Officer Bryan Kline, who is vice president of the Saving Paws board of directors, declined to comment.
Saving Paws has proposed using the space to provide enrichment activities, light veterinary services and adoption services, according to city officials. Scaife said negotiations with Saving Paws have been suspended for the time being.
Cats in ceiling
DiBianco turned herself into police on Sept. 7 after learning there was a warrant for her arrest. She faces second-degree forgery charges from an investigation into allegations dating back to April 2015 that she reportedly forged a rabies certificate, according to police.
When reached by phone Oct. 21, DiBianco denied the charges and said she would not be stepping down as director of the humane society.
“I refuse to step down and my board is backing me 150 percent,” DiBianco said. “I have not done anything wrong.”
On Oct. 12, City Attorney Moore wrote to Maria Tougas, an attorney representing the humane society, to inform her cats had been photographed in the ceiling of building.
“The cats have been using the ceiling area as a litter box resulting in a great deal of urine and feces deposits in the ceiling,” Moore wrote, noting Meriden Animal Control staff had discovered stains and feces while replacing tiles.
“Animal control officers have heard cats in the ceiling on occasion and given the amount and age of the feces, it appears cats have been accessing the ceiling space over a long period of time,” Moore said.
All Meriden Animal Control cats had been accounted for at the time the cat was discovered and photographed in the ceiling, Moore said. Documents obtained by the Record-Journal included a dark silhouette of a cat peering down from a hole in the ceiling.
Moore said the city has taken on the costs associated with the feces and urine in the ceiling and said if the matter was not corrected the humane society would be billed for future expenses.
In her response, Tougas stated the cats found in the ceiling “have been identified as belonging to Meriden Animal Control, not the Meriden Humane Society.”
“My client has further confirmed to me that they are not missing any cats, they are in full control of their cat population at all times and that most of the ceiling tiles in their portion of the premises have rivets and are locked and cannot be accessed,” Tougas added.
Moore replied that “there are reports of cat food located on the MHS side of the building in the ceiling which were not placed by Meriden Animal Control staff.”
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| Meriden Humane Society Director mugshot |
“However, based on your representation that all holes in the ceiling are sealed and there is no longer access from the MHS side of the building to the ceiling, the city will consider this matter closed unless another cat finds its way into the ceiling,” Moore added.
On Oct. 20, Scaife met with humane society volunteers to inform them that after reviewing the city’s history with the organization he believed the best course of action was to cut ties with the nonprofit, giving the group 120 days to vacate the building.
At the time, the facility was housing 85 cats and 20 dogs, with an additional 20 kittens in foster homes, volunteers said that day. Scaife said the number of free roaming animals in the facility was unhealthy.
At the time, volunteers reacted with shock to Scaife’s decision.
“I never believed they could be that callous,” said volunteer Alexia Belperron.
(Meriden Record-Journal - Nov 5, 2016)
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