NEW BRITAIN — Police were called to a home in New Britain were they found a Crocodile Monitor and several malnourished dogs inside.
Officers said that they responded to an address on Chestnut Street on June 19, 2018 on calls of a foul odor coming from the house.
Police could not make contact with anyone inside and feared that someone had died.
They entered house through the window and found a Crocodile Monitor, which are illegal to own in Connecticut.
Barking was also heard from multiple dogs coming from separate rooms within the apartment.
The apartment was said to be filthy. A strong odor of urine and feces, permeated throughout the area.
No one was found to be living in the apartment but two emaciated dogs and the Crocodile Monitor were taken by police. There was no dog food found in the apartment, only water.
Officers said that there were numerous aquariums and cages were haphazardly piled in the apartment.
The living conditions were so poor that the New Britain Health Department condemned it.
Police were able to identify the renter as Eileen Rodriguez. It was believed that Rodriguez,26, and her boyfriend, Carlos Colon, were harboring the animals in the filthy conditions.
Colon was arrested in November 2018 and was charged with three counts of cruelty to animals.
Rodriguez was arrested on March 19 and was charged with two counts of cruelty to animals and illegal possession of a prohibited species without a permit.
Rodriguez gave up ownership of the two dogs and gave them to New Britain Animal Control. The Crocodile Monitor was turned over to the Connecticut Environmental Police. According to police, the estimated black market value is about $15,000.
