FARMINGTON — A hearing to request the transfer of ownership of about 40
animals seized from a home in New Sharon last month began Friday in
Franklin County Superior Court.

Justice Michaela Murphy decided to continue the hearing, perhaps to
Nov. 30, after Carol Murphy, 65, representing herself, asked to testify
shortly before the court was to close for the day.

  The state is seeking ownership of the animals that were seized
from Murphy's home on Lane Road by state welfare agents. They were
placed in shelters around the state, which has been paying for their
feed and care, and wants the ability to allow the shelters to find
permanent homes for the animals, Assistant District Attorney Andrew
Robinson
said.

  The state prohibited Murphy from having animals after a Franklin
County jury found her guilty of cruelty to animals and possessing
animals without a permit in 2005.

State Trooper Aaron Turcotte went to Murphy's home last month to
arrest her on a warrant for unpaid fines/fees in connection to the 2005
case, and police say she used a stun gun to shock him. He was also
following up on a complaint from People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals.

Christine Fraser, state veterinarian for the animal welfare program,
testified Friday for more than two hours answering questions on the
condition of the animals found and the pictures she took upon entering
the home. The home reeked of urine and feces creating ammonia levels
that could cause respiratory damage in both animals and humans.

  There were five dogs and eight cats, either in cages or loose in
the house. Other animals, including a 300-pound potbellied pig, young
turkeys, a guinea hen, rabbits, five birds and two chinchillas, were
found in cages in the house. Two alpacas and a miniature donkey were in
stalls in the attached barn, along with five ducks, three roosters and
four chickens. All were seized.

Many of the animals were dehydrated and appeared to have been without food or water, she said.

Carol Murphy claimed the state did not go into the house for a day
and a half after her arrest and she caged most of the animals while she
was gone. She asked how it could be considered animal cruelty when the
animals went for that period of time without her there to regularly
feed and water them, as she claimed she did.

Fraser testified that to her knowledge Murphy was arrested at about
3 p.m. Oct. 14. She and others went into the home at 9 a.m. on Oct. 15,
but the condition of dehydration and lack of food was from more than a
12-hour period.

The guinea hen died 12 hours after the seizure and had no food in its
digestive tract other than what it had been given after seizure. One
chinchilla also died a few days later from pneumonia. Many of the
animals had fleas, ear mites and other health issues, she said.

Carol Murphy objected that she had not had a chance to have her
veterinarian examine the animals. It was only done by the state, whom
she claimed wrongly took her animals in 2005. Murphy also claimed she
owed thousands in vet bills and the cats and dogs were on brand name
flea medicines.

Fraser said the animals were also examined by a veterinarian not employed by the state.

abryant@sunjournal.com