Wallingford woman arrested on 37 counts of animal cruelty

WALLINGFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — A woman was arrested and charged with animal cruelty stemming from an animal abuse complaint made in February of last year, police said.

Judith Godek, 69, was charged with 37 counts of animal abuse. she turned herself in to Wallingford police on Oct. 10.

On Feb. 23, 2023, Wallingford Animal Control initially received a complaint of possible animal abuse. The Wallingford Police Department later responded to Benham Avenue and discovered 37 mixed-breed dogs living in a garage in what animal control called poor living conditions.

According to Wallingford Animal Control Officer Mitch Gibbs, the dogs had adequate weight, but living conditions were concerning and some untreated medical conditions were not addressed.

The agency tried working with the woman to get her to take proper care of the animals, but when they returned in July, many of the conditions had not been met yet. At that point, they determined they could go for a search and seizure warrant.

On Aug. 30, 2024, police conducted a search and seizure where probable cause was developed, and an arrest warrant was issued for Godek.

Godek was released on a court-set promise to appear and issued a court date of Nov. 1, 2024, in Meriden.

The dogs have been removed and placed in several animal control organizations and local rescues.

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