Connecticut Attorney General William Tong made a rare appearance at Danbury Superior Court on October 28, 2024, to advocate for stringent penalties in the case against Nancy Burton, who was charged with animal cruelty in 2021.
This case arose from an investigation into severe neglect at her Redding home, where authorities discovered 65 live goats and more than 40 deceased animals.
After the hearing, Tong expressed the gravity of the situation, stating, It’s really a sad case of animal abuse and animal cruelty… animal abuse and animal cruelty in the state of Connecticut is never OK.
Earlier in the year, a judge had considered granting Burton a 30-day accelerated rehabilitation program, which would allow her to clear her record and regain the ability to own animals after just one month.
Tong successfully argued for the maximum penalty under state law, advocating for a two-year prohibition on animal ownership due to the extreme nature of Burton’s case.
He emphasized the ongoing concerns surrounding Burton, noting, This is not the first time we’ve been here with Miss Burton. This is the culmination at this point of years and years of litigation.
In addition to the animal ownership prohibition, Burton was ordered to undergo psychiatric or psychological counseling as deemed appropriate by probation.
After the two-year rehabilitation period, her record will be eligible for expungement, allowing her to own animals again, provided she complies with the court’s directives.