HADLEY, Mass. – A Hadley woman has been sentenced to five years probation and prohibited from owning or handling livestock after pleading guilty to three counts of animal cruelty. Shannon Rice-Nichols was originally charged with 35 counts of animal cruelty but entered into a plea agreement that dropped 32 of the charges. The charges stemmed from the severe neglect of dozens of cows and goats in her care in 2022.
The case came to light after several tips in March of 2022 led animal welfare professionals to investigate Thistlebloom Farm in Amherst, where Rice-Nichols boarded her animals. Investigators found malnourished goats and cows, with one cow already dead upon their arrival. A veterinarian later discovered that every surviving cow and goat was infected with parasites, and half of the recovered goats were euthanized after testing positive for an infectious disease.
The neglected animals also included eight “very rare Kerry cattle” that have “all but disappeared from the American landscape” since their arrival in 1818, according to the Massachusetts Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The organization was successful in finding adoptive homes for nine cows and 22 goats.
As part of her plea agreement, Rice-Nichols must complete an online course about animal care, and she has been barred from owning or handling livestock for the duration of her five-year probation. The director of adoption and programs at MSPCA-Angell expressed hope that the work done to protect and care for these animals may also prevent the rare breed of cattle from going extinct.
The sentencing of Rice-Nichols marks a significant step in holding individuals accountable for animal neglect and cruelty. The case highlights the importance of vigilant animal welfare measures to prevent such cases of neglect and abuse from occurring in the future.