Second suspect charged in Winsted animal cruelty case that involved 27 seized dogs, police say

Winchester police charged David Reid with animal cruelty in connection with 27 dogs that were seized from a home on Strong Terrace Tuesday.  Courtesy of the Winchester Police Department

Stamford Advocate| By Liz Hardaway, Brigitte Ruthman | March 19, 2025 |

WINCHESTER — Winchester police have charged a second person with animal cruelty after seizing more than two-dozen dogs from a home in Winsted.

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David Reid, 28, turned himself in at Winchester police headquarters Wednesday morning and was arrested on an outstanding warrant charging him with animal cruelty. 

Reid was released on a written promise to appear in court on April 23. He was represented by a public defender representing him for bond purposes only before Judge Walter Menjivar. 

Winchester police Detective James Crean said police served two arrest warrants at a home on Strong Terrace in Winsted around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. During that raid, police seized 27 dogs, Crean said. Police originally reported that 24 dogs had been seized. 

Neighbors said Wednesday they were surprised by the number of dogs seized. The neat, yellow-painted home sits on a small lot overlooking downtown. Only one neighbor had complained about excessive dog waste.

No one answered the door of the home Wednesday, where empty dog food containers were stacked on the front porch. 

The dogs are being examined by a vet, housed and cared for locally, according to Crean. 

The raid was part of an ongoing investigation by the Winchester Police Department, the Town of Harwinton Regional Animal Control Department and animal control officers with the state Department of Agriculture. 

The first person arrested in the case, Sarah Smolak, 28, was charged Tuesday with two counts of animal cruelty. Initially held in lieu of $150,000 bail, Smolak was released on a promise to appear in court after her arraignment later that day. A judge also ordered that, as part of her release, she cannot possess animals. 

Winchester police began investigating in February, but it wasn't the first time that state officials had been tipped off that dogs were being neglected in her care, reports issued by investigators with the state Department of Agriculture showed.

A state inspector issued a warning to Smolak for illegally running a kennel at her Norwalk home in 2022, state records said. The investigation began after a man reported to state and Norwalk authorities that he had intended on hiring Smolak to watch his dogs when his family went on vacation but her behavior seemed erratic to him.

The man said that he had found her listed on Rover.com as a boarder and it didn't appear she had a state license to board animals, state documents said. Smolak told a state inspector that she didn't board animals but she did watch animals for family and friends and allowed other dogs to come over and play, the documents said. She admitted that she got paid to watch the animals, state officials said in the documents.

There were other complaints of neglect and abuse lodged against Smolak while she lived in Norwalk, but they weren't substantiated, Norwalk Chief James Walsh said.

Police in Winsted said Smolak was charging or being paid for the dogs in her care, either to train or board them. Some represented overflows from animal rescue organizations. 

Reid owned one of the dogs, named Pancake. Another dog, named Marshmallow, remains missing.

Crean said efforts are underway to research the ownership of every one of the dogs, either through an implanted chip or paperwork.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Winchester Police Department at 860-379-2721 or the Town of Harwinton Regional Animal Control Department at 860-485-9051, ext. 1129.