Owners vow new appeal in case of CT dog that killed an elderly woman

Yahoo

08-05-2025

Despite a judge's decision this week levying a $76,000 judgment, the six-year-long court battle over the Connecticut dog that killed an elderly woman is on track to continue even as total expenses run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The owners of Dexter, a pit bull/pointer, say they'll fight to keep from paying the dog's boarding costs and will continue blocking the town of Suffield plan to put him to death.
Annie Hornish did not cite a specific figure on Wednesday, but said 'This has cost us quite a bit financially and emotionally.'
Even so, she and her husband, Neil, intend to take their case to Appellate Court, where they'll ask a judge to overturn Monday's Superior Court decision against them.
'We trust the Appellate Court will make the right decision,' she told The Courant.
The town, meanwhile, has indicated it might pursue a case against the Hornishes for its attorneys' fees.
'The litigants have dragged this case on for far too long and unnecessarily delayed justice. While the town is now able to collect the boarding fees owed, the town will explore additional remedies to make the taxpayers whole for legal expenses.' First Selectman Colin Moll said in a statement.
The town also will continue seeking to have Dexter euthanized.
'The Board of Selectmen is committed to taking all necessary legal steps in this matter to protect the public from this dangerous dog until justice can be carried out,' Moll said.
The Hornishes, who own a Thrall Avenue home with more than 50 acres, have been in court with the town since soon after Dexter killed Janet D'Aleo, a 95-year-old friend visiting their house. The town seized the dog and had it in a private kennel, where it has been ever since.
The Hornishes settled a lawsuit from D'Aleo's estate for $2 million, but have maintained that the town didn't adequately investigate whether the woman's death was a result of Dexter's attack. They've suggested D'Aleo's health aide may have provoked the dog, and at various times during litigation have suggested D'Aleo may have suffered a medical crisis.
But the town and its animal control officer say the dog is a danger. The Hornishes have been in extended litigation to block the euthanasia order.
In a previous decision, Judge Matthew Budzik concluded the Hornishes haven't been realistic about the dog's culpability.
'The Hornishes have refused to take responsibility for Dexter's actions, or acknowledge the severity of his conduct. Indeed, the Hornishes have repeatedly sought to downplay Dexter's conduct and to place blame for Ms. D'Aleo's death elsewhere. The factual record in this matter renders such justifications, in the court's view, disingenuous at best,' Budzik wrote.
Annie Hornish, a former state legislator who has served as Connecticut director for the Humane Society of the United States, said she and her husband have two offers of secure sanctuaries that would accept Dexter for free. One is in Connecticut, the other is 13-acre property in upstate New York where Diana Urban, another former state lawmaker, keeps rescued animals.
Both Hornish and Urban are animal rights activists who contend there's no need to kill the dog, even though the town and the state Department of Agriculture have recommended it.
Annie Hornish said Dexter is about 9 years old. The dog has been in a kennel since November of 2019; the Hornishes covered the first two years' expense, which totaled about $40,000, then refused to pay more. Their argument is that the town should release the animal to a qualified sanctuary, and that charging dog owners to board their pet while a euthanasia appeal is underway would discourage most people for pursuing such an appeal.
Monday's court decision holds the couple liable for about $76,000 in kennel costs since 2021, and warns of a 7.5% annual interest charge on whatever goes unpaid.
In addition, the court said the Hornishes are responsible for roughly $66 a day in kennel costs since Feb. 1. That comes to about another $6,000 so far, with the potential to tack on an additional $15,000 or so before the year ends.