Suspect In New Canaan Animal Cruelty Case Arrested Again

STAMFORD, CT — The 49-year-old suspect in a New Canaan animal cruelty case was arrested again on Wednesday, accused of violating the terms of her release by being around animals while awaiting trial.

Catherine Palmer, of Otter Rock Drive in Greenwich, spent the night in jail, held in lieu of bail of $150,000, but Stamford Superior Court Judge John Blawie reduced her bail to $25,000 on Thursday. She was expected to post bond and be released Thursday afternoon, according to her attorney, Mark Kratter.

Palmer was originally arrested on three counts of animal cruelty last November, after the discovery of three dead puppies at a home she owns in New Canaan.

After being released on bond in connection with that case, Palmer was ordered by the court:

• Possess no animals
• Not engage in the sales of animals, direct or indirect
• No transfer of animals

Additionally, she was ordered not to volunteer around animals; have no dealings with animals directly or indirectly; and not post any transfers or sale of animals under another name.

However, according to a recent arrest warrant for Palmer, in early February, she brought three dogs to the United Animal Center on Westport Avenue in Norwalk for treatment.

"The staff noticed that all three dogs were dirty, and the dogs were described as covered in vomit, feces and urine," the warrant states.

Palmer told the staff that the dogs belonged to her boyfriend, but when he was asked about the dogs, he could not provide any information about them, according to the warrant. Instead, Palmer answered all the questions about the dogs.

In addition, before she paid the animal hospital in cash, Palmer had the staff change the billing information from her name to her boyfriend's name. After the dogs were treated, veterinarian Peter Michakel told Palmer "he was not interested in doing business with her in the future."

"The dogs were in horrible condition," an assistant state's attorney told the court Thursday during Palmer's arraignment. "This was a blatant and flagrant disregard for the conditions of her bond."

Kratter told the court that Palmer does not possess any animals, and that she is "fearful" of owning any because of the case.

In addition to reducing Palmer's bail to $25,000, Blawie also required Palmer to be fitted with a GPS monitoring device, but he did not impose a curfew, nor did he limit her from traveling out of state. Palmer said she is a realtor who has listings in New York.

"We're very happy with how things went today," Kratter said after the hearing. "The judge did not impose a curfew, and he did not limit her travel out of state, which I thought was fair."

Palmer's next court date is scheduled for April 28.