image description — More than a dozen cats were abandoned on back roads a year ago. The woman who owned them has pleaded guilty to counts of animal cruelty.

Owner of Abandoned Cats Pleads Guilty to Animal Cruelty

Staff Reports05:20PM / Friday, January 27, 2023Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A woman accused of abandoning more than a dozen cats during snowstorm a year ago has pleaded guilty.

Kelly Hathaway of Pittsfield pleaded guilty on Friday to two counts of animal cruelty in Central Berkshire District Court as part of a plea agreement. Following the plea agreement, she was ordered to have a mental health evaluation and follow any after care as instructed by the court.

She was placed on two years probation and ordered to perform 50 hours of community service. She is not allowed to possess any animals and was ordered to surrender any she has in her care. She is also prohibited from volunteering with any animal groups.

Hathaway and another defendant were charged last March with abandoning 15 cats on back roads in Richmond and Lanesborough after an investigation by Lanesborough Police, Lanesborough Animal Control and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Two of the cats died, possibly from exposure, and another was never found. Temperatures ranged from about minus-6 to 28 degrees on the weekend of Jan. 28 and the cats found in Richmond were undernourished and dehydrated.

According to the police report, Hathaway said her landlord had told her to remove the animals because of the smell.

The cats were discovered by a motorist on Jan. 31 and he, animal control, volunteers and the Berkshire Humane Society worked to get the cats to safety. They were later adopted out by the Humane Society.

The animal cruelty charges could have meant fines of up to $5,000 and time in jail or prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Aleah Fisher and Megan Rose.

The Berkshire District Attorney's Office thanked the agencies involved for the assistance in the investigation, including the State Police.

"We are very pleased that we can bring this case to a resolution. MSPCA was very pleased with the outcome as we took into consideration the defendant's intellectual disability and willingness to accept responsibility," said Rose. "Thank you to the Berkshire Humane Society for their assistance with finding homes for the abandoned animals."

Tags: animal abuse, animal cruelty, cats,

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

Save & Earn with Greylock

3.30% APY 6-month certificate. Click to learn more! Insured by NCUA.

www.greylock.org

rk MILES Blding Materials

Are You Ready to Update Your Home? Start With rk MILES. 4 Locations (800)670-7433

www.rkmiles.com

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield: No E-Bikes on Sidewalk

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:33AM / Wednesday, October 28, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The city will place signage downtown to remind people that e-bikes are not allowed on the sidewalk.

On Monday, the Ordinances and Rules subcommittee heard an update about e-bike enforcement in response to a petition from Councilor at Large Kathy Amuso and Ward 3 Councilor Matthew Wrinn.

Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales confirmed that under Massachusetts law, it is illegal for any motorized bicycle, regardless of the class, to ride on the sidewalk.

"So, at this point, we will start installing some signage in the North Street area," he reported.

"Doing so for the whole city is going to be very cumbersome, and we're not going to be doing that, but I think there's something to be done in terms of education and outreach and enforcement citywide for that."

Pittsfield has begun to develop what that signage will look like in the downtown corridor. Amuso has received many complaints about the North Street and Elm Street areas; Morales said they could work to locate some key spots on Elm Street for signage.

"I know it's a citywide problem, but I think if we start on North Street and work our way out and come up with a plan, that would be good," she said.

The councilors petitioned to increase enforcement of bicycle and e-bike use on Pittsfield streets, install signage in high-traffic areas, and launch an educational program for kids.

View Full Story