Animal Control: Fort Pierce woman arrested for animal cruelty may have stabbed dead dog
July 1st, 2009 by Post StaffA Fort Pierce woman that was arrested and charged with numerous counts of animal cruelty may have stabbed one of her dead dogs.
St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Deputies found a sick home full of animals, some dead and starving, with an odor of death reeking from it when they arrived on the scene Monday.
Deputies arrived at the home on North Kings Highway after the landlord of the home noticed a foul smell coming from it. The landlord also said he hadn’t seen his tenant, Michele Nunziata, in several days.
Deputies on scene said they were met with “an overwhelming foul odor of decomposition.” They also said they could hear several dogs barking from inside the home.
As deputies tried to get Nunziata to come back to the home and allow them inside, she repeatedly told deputies over the phone that she was “too busy.” When she did arrive home and let deputies inside she admitted to burying dogs in her front yard, though deputies could not find grave sites.
When Animal Control Officers arrived they took inventory of the home and found:
3 very slim Pit Bulls
A Blood Hound suffering from malnutrition
2 Cockatiels without food or water
2 ferrets without food or water
1 Black Wolf and 1 Doberman Pincher locked in a kennel laying in feces with no food or water, suffering from malnutrition
3 dead dogs locked in a kennel, decaying
Deputies and Animal Control Officers also found rabbits caged without food or water and a goose.
Nunziata has been charged with 6 felony accounts of animal cruelty as well as 11 Misdemeanors.
In a follow-up report, Animal Care and Control Officers say it appeared one of the deceased dogs left to rot in a cage had been stabbed in it’s armpit.
Officers said it appeared that most of the dead animals died of neglect.
Nunziata told officers she never neglected her animals and “would get them all back.”
Marianne Wellendorf
WPEC Channel 12
Tags: arrest, business, death, deputies, deputy, dies, dog, dogs, felony, food, goose, misdemeanor, North, rabbit, sheriff, sick, stab, stabbing, water, woman, yard
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July 1st, 2009 at 11:08 am
Ms. Nunziata should never get those animals back, nor should she be allowed to every own another. It’s unexcusable to abuse anything or anyone which is innocent and should be punished to the fullest. While investigators will do everything to make that happen, it’s up to the courts to send a message to this woman and others who commit this crime.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:30 am
She needs to spend a long long time in prison. Unfortunatly she will not because of over crowding and animals crimes are not taken seriously enough.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:43 am
sHE SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM OWWING ANIMALS AND FINED AT LEAST, MAYBE CONFINED IN A CAGE WITHOUT FOOD AND WATER AS SHE LET THOSE POOR ANIMALS!
July 1st, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Mrs. Nunziata should have her day in court like anyone else. However, if the police allogations are true, and she did neglect these pets and cause the death of some, she should be prosocuted to the fullest extent of the law. I feel animal crualry laws have come along way. Just look at Michael Vick. Years ago, Michael Vick and Mrs. Nunziata would probably only have received a slap on the wrist. I’m curious to know if Mrs. Nunziata tried to get help for these animals or she just left them to rot. I never read or hear about a trial or plea bargain when these cases go to court. Let me know
July 5th, 2009 at 10:19 am
This CREEP needs the same thing inflicted on her as she did to these animals! What kind of person does this to a defenseless animal!!!!!