(Hartford, CT) – At 2 p.m. on Monday, October 28 at Danbury Superior Court, Attorney General William Tong will argue for maximum conditions associated with proposed accelerated rehabilitation in the criminal case against Nancy Burton, who was arrested on cruelty to animals charges in 2021 for the severe neglect of more than 65 live goats and over 40 dead goats at her Redding home.

During execution of the search and seizure warrant at Burton’s property in 2021, authorities discovered over 40 dead goats in multiple locations of the property in various stages of decomposition in plastic bags, piled underneath a tarp, inside trash containers, and partially buried. One recently deceased goat was found in a shelter, with straw around its hooves and displaced in a semi-circle pattern carved into the ground, indicating that the animal had been struggling for a significant amount of time before expiring. Authorities observed that the goats lacked adequate water. Several struggled to walk and needed medical attention. Some were visibly underweight, with missing or matted fur caked with mud and manure.

The state successfully sought custody of 65 living goats seized from the property, including many pregnant goats. After many births, the state expended significant resources rehabilitating and caring for 90 goats, who have since been adopted.

The state cases against Burton proceeded on two tracks—civil and criminal. The Office of the Attorney General led the civil case against Burton regarding custody of the goats. The Danbury State’s Attorney’s Office has handled the criminal animal abuse case. Earlier this year, a Superior Court judge considered granting Burton 30 days of accelerated rehabilitation in her criminal case, a move that would have enabled her to clear her record and own animals again after only one month.

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. The Office of the Attorney General requested the opportunity to appear before the Court to address the severity of this case and the significant resources the state has been forced to expend to care for and rehabilitate Burton’s injured and neglected animals.