Massachusetts Woman Charged With 30 Counts Of Animal Cruelty: DA

AYER, MA — A woman was charged with animal cruelty after investigators seized 162 animals from her property, according to a statement from Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan.

Ruth Maxant-Schulz, 77, of Ayer, was arraigned Monday on 30 counts of animal cruelty.

Ayer police received a request for a well-being check at a Taft Street home Feb. 20. Officers arrived at the property and saw animals roaming outside the property, including two ponies, several goats, and ducks.

Officers discovered several dead animals both outside and inside the home, including two dead goats at the front door of the house and several goats in a room covered in trash, animal feces, and debris.

Inside the home, police found three dead baby goats lying next to each other. While searching the home for Maxant-Schulz, police found two more baby goats lying next to each other in the home; one was dead, and the other appeared alive but unwell. A dog was barking from another room, and a duck was walking around the home.

The Ayer animal control officer said she heard baby goats making crying sounds and did not see any food or water set out for them.

Police got a search warrant for the home Feb. 23. During the search, police found a dog crate containing various fowl with no access to food or water.

Tufts veterinarians arrived and found that "there was a likely risk to the animals’ health due to the nature of the property and the animals’ inability to access nutritious food and water," according to the statement.

The veterinarians believed the animals were neglected and should be removed from the property. An injured adult goat was limping around the property with a broken leg. Veterinarians treated the goat and removed him from the property.

Police got a second warrant to search a barn and the rest of the property. Police found dead and decomposing goats and chickens as well as emaciated animals and goats with severe abscesses and mastitis. Several fowl seized from the property were treated for lice.

Authorities seized a total of 162 animals, including 49 goats, 91 chickens, 11 ducks, eight geese, two ponies, and a dog.

A judge ordered Maxant-Schulz released on personal recognizance and imposed conditions of no possession of animals, no working with animals, no living with animals, and no unsupervised contact with animals. Maxant-Schulz was also ordered to abide by a condemnation order from the Northeast Housing Court.

The investigation is ongoing.