An animal control officer in Cheshire is stepping down after an independent investigation found that the town’s animal control facility was not adequately maintained.
The retirement of April Leiler was announced Thursday at a special meeting held by the Cheshire Town Council, where some of the findings made by the law firm hired by town officials were discussed. Leiler, the sole animal control officer listed on the town’s website, submitted her resignation and was expected to retire at the end of the day on Friday, town officials said.
Leiler did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment which was sent Friday morning to her town email address.
“This was a failure to meet the basic standards of animal care,” Town Manager Sean M. Kimball said at the meeting. “All those failures can be attributed to actions and inactions of specific individuals. The town of Cheshire accepts responsibility for the failures of our Animal Control Division and the supervision provided by our police department.”
An investigation conducted by the law firm hired by the town found that the animal control facility, during an inspection in August 2024, had a floor with peeling paint, making it impossible to sanitize properly, a damaged chain-link fence on multiple kennels and eight trough covers in the kennels that were not installed properly, preventing dogs from accessing them, the report said. There were also obvious signs of vermin, and Leiler reportedly admitted that the facility had a mouse problem, according to the report.
Investigators also interviewed a number of people who were familiar with the facility who reported that the dog runs were frequently filled with urine and feces and that there was moldy food in the facility’s cabinets, with some containing maggots, the report said. Investigators also found that the dogs in the facility were not properly groomed and did not receive appropriate veterinary care, the report said.
Multiple investigations into the facility — which allege the poor conditions were not adequately addressed over a sustained course of time — came about after more than two dozen dogs were seized in 2022 and were then kept at the facility. Animal rights activists learned of the alleged conditions that the dogs were being kept in and began demanding answers and actions from state and local officials.
The findings of the independent investigation follow a consent order being issued in December 2024 by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. An investigation conducted by the department made similar findings to the law firm, concluding that the facility violated several state regulations and statutes. The order demanded that actions be taken to rectify the six alleged violations which were outlined.
The report outlining the department’s finding said that, among other issues, “animals at the dog pound were also placed in cages that were too small,and didn’t meet minimum size requirements, while primary enclosures were cleaned.”
Information from Courant reporter Sean Krofssik was used in this report.
