A Redding woman is facing a judge Monday at Danbury Superior Court for animal cruelty charges stemming from a goat hoarding case that left nearly 100 goats in the state’s care and dozens more dead in 2021.
Nancy Burton was charged with the severe neglect of more than 65 live goats and more than 40 dead goats at her Redding home, according to a release from the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
The proceeding will begin at 2 p.m., and Attorney General William Tong “will argue for maximum conditions associated with proposed accelerated rehabilitation.”
The state has made civil and criminal cases against Burton.
Animal cruelty charges remain — for now — in CT goat hoarding case as judge delays decision
In the criminal case argued by Danbury State’s Attorney’s Office earlier this year, a Superior Court judge considered allowing a chance to clear her record and own animals after one month through 30 days of accelerated rehabilitation.
“Given the extreme neglect and deplorable conditions of the goats removed from Burton’s care, the Office of the Attorney General urged the Court to reconsider the conditions of the accelerated rehabilitation,” according to Tong.
Tong asked the judge to appear and speak about the severity of the case and the state resources used to care for Burton’s goats.
During the 2021 search and seizure warrant at Burton’s residence, more than 40 dead goats were throughout the property “in various stages of decomposition in plastic bags, piled underneath a tarp, inside trash containers and partially buried,” according to court records.
At least one goat had allegedly been suffering for a long period before dying.
Investigators alleged that many of the goats struggled to move and had to walk on different parts of their legs because their hooves had grown so long, they had begun to curl. One of their paddocks was filled nearly to the roof with manure, according to court records.
The goats were malnourished, often roaming the neighborhood looking for food, and lived in allegedly deplorable conditions without running water. The goats had missing, or matted fur caked from mud and manure.
The state gained custody of the 65 living goats in 2022. Among the goats, several were pregnant. Following the births, the state cared for 90 goats, and many have been adopted.
Burton faces more than 60 charges of animal cruelty. She was also charged with obstructing an animal control officer after a goat that wandered off her property was struck by a car and injured.
