CT woman accused of abandoning ‘severely malnourished’ dog in Burlington

A former Unionville woman has been accused of abandoning a severely malnourished dog in Burlington.

Lauren Artandi, 26, faces one count of cruelty to animals after a Beagle mix was found wandering on Mountain Briar Road in the morning hours of Nov. 1, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

Investigators said an officer with the Burlington and Canton Animal Control office responded and found the animal, taking it right away to a veterinarian. The vet noted during an examination that the dog weighed just over 15 pounds and was given a body score of one out of a possible nine, the affidavit said. Investigators wrote in the affidavit that the dog’s ribs and other bones were “clearly visible” where “they should not be.”

The vet noted the dog — originally named Thor before an animal control officer named him Franklin — had “severe muscle wasting/cachexia” and was severely malnourished, the affidavit said.

Franklin’s “ears were discomforted with manipulation,” and he had “odorous urine staining” on his paws consistent with being left in a crate in his own urine for “periods of time,” a vet told authorities, according to the affidavit. He also had overgrown nails.

During the investigation, Burlington and Canton Animal Control posted a photo of Franklin on Facebook and asked for information on the dog’s owner, as an animal rights group offered a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever was responsible for abandoning Franklin.

A Bristol woman contacted authorities and told them she had bought the dog, originally named Thor, in April 2021 before being forced to give him away in February 2022 because of a new housing regulation, the affidavit said. The woman told investigators she gave Thor to Artandi and that the animal was in good health at that time.

According to the affidavit, the former owner of the dog often asked for photos of the animal to see how he was doing, but Artandi over time stopped sending them and would “make excuses” as to why she could not.

When investigators spoke to Artandi, she admitted to owning Thor for a period of time but said she too had to get rid of the animal because she was moving to Groton to live in military housing near the Naval Submarine Base in New London, as her husband served in the armed forces, according to the affidavit. Artandi said she sold the dog using Craigslist in June 2022 and could not remember the last name of the woman who bought him, where she lived or what day the sale took place, the affidavit said.

Artandi provided authorities with a man she said could verify her alibi for the day the dog was abandoned in Burlington, according to the affidavit.

During the investigation, authorities were provided with a recording taken in July 2022 when Artandi could be heard saying she intended to go home and “cuddle with Thor,” contradicting what she told authorities about selling the dog the previous month, the affidavit said. Additionally, the document continued, a witness in the case said Artandi’s children verified she still owned the animal as of Oct. 31, 2022, a day before he was found abandoned in Burlington.

Artandi was charged in the case on May 2. She appeared in New Britain Superior Court last week and was granted a continuance until July 24, court records show. She has not entered a plea.

Judicial records indicate Artandi is represented by Berlin-based attorney Jon Reducha – who did not immediately return a request for comment Monday.

According to the warrant, Franklin made a full recovery from his malnourished state and has found a home with a new owner.