Cloa’s Ark owner arraigned on animal cruelty charges

NORTHAMPTON — A Hadley animal sanctuary owner is facing 21 felony counts of animal cruelty and seven misdemeanor counts of unlawful possession of wildlife, a result of the seizure of 317 animals from a Lawrence Plain Road site in January.

Patrick Veistroffer, of Hadley, was arraigned on the charges in Hampshire Superior Court in Northampton on April 15, according to the Northwestern district attorney’s office.

The arraignment came after the Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell took the animals, including many chickens and geese, from Cloa’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, which Veistroffer has run from Hadley since 2018. The action followed concerns regarding the welfare of the animals residing there.

Assistant District Attorney Erin Aiello, representing the commonwealth, asked that Veistroffer be prohibited from possessing, owning or working with animals while the case is pending, though three cats would be allowed to remain on the property.

The district attorney’s office also is seeking the humane transfer of the seized wildlife, which are being held at MSPCA-Angell facilities, to the care and custody of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

David Mintz, the Northampton attorney representing Veistroffer, objected to the requested conditions and filed a motion to return 116 specific animals to Cloa’s Ark.

Mintz wrote in an email Monday that, in addition to that motion, his client would like to keep other animals he has rescued in the months since the MSPCA-Angell action.

“Since the seizure, Cloa’s Ark has of course continued to receive numerous calls for help from the community, and there are currently about 40 animals at the sanctuary,” Mintz said.

Lynsey Legier, representing MSPCA-Angell, who filed a motion to appear on the agency’s behalf, also filed a petition for an order requiring the defendant to post security for the costs of reasonable care for the more than 300 animals seized and currently in its custody.

Those animals include the domestic birds, like cockatiels, parrots, parakeets, doves and pigeons, farm birds like chickens, ducks, turkeys and peafowls, and the goats, cows, pigs, sheep, rabbits and one pony, and some wildlife, such as a deer and some Canada geese, that were allegedly being kept illegally as pets.

“MSPCA-Angell is an independent law enforcement agency that receives no state funding and relies on donor support,” Aiello said. “We are grateful for their partnership in this matter.”

All motions filed by the parties are scheduled to be heard on Thursday at 10 a.m. The commonwealth requested that, until then, Veistroffer be prohibited from acquiring any additional animals.

Mintz objected to this request, but Judge David Hodge ordered Veistroffer not to take on any additional animals over the eight days between the arraignment and the next hearing.

Cloa’s Ark has been operating with the help of volunteers and donations, and no full-time staff, since first opening in Marlborough in 2002, starting with a rescued cockatiel.

A $30,000 budget is used to feed the animals, to buy hay and grain, and pay for veterinary bills. The enterprise has also receives fruits and vegetables discarded by local supermarkets.