A warrant for the rearrest of Marie Feniello was issued Wednesday, July 8, after the 66-year-old failed to appear at Stamford Superior Court on her Greenwich animal cruelty charges the day before.

Feniello faces three counts of cruelty to animals, all Class A misdemeanors, stemming from a November 2024 investigation in which two black Labrador retrievers starved to death and a third was found severely emaciated. As of late April, the case had appeared on the court docket at least 12 times.

The Connecticut Judicial Branch confirmed the rearrest warrant under docket number S01SCR250257822S. In addition to the Greenwich animal cruelty charges, Feniello's outstanding cases include breach of peace in Norwalk, criminal trespass in Greenwich, and illegal operation of a motor vehicle under suspension in Darien.

Greenwich Animal Control Officers Suzanne Carlin and Carolyn Smith sat in the Stamford courtroom for an hour on Tuesday, July 7, before learning the appearance had been waived. They were not notified in advance. Carlin had prepared a statement to read to the judge.

"I don't understand how many outs people get," Carlin said at an earlier hearing. "They're not held accountable. We don't even know where she is living."

According to the arrest warrant, the investigation began after a veterinarian alerted Greenwich police that Feniello had brought in an emaciated 1-year-old black Lab named Thatcher, giving her last name as "Amato." Two other Labs, Augie and Sawyer, had already died. Necropsy results showed Augie weighed 52 pounds and Sawyer weighed 40 pounds, with empty digestive systems indicating they had not eaten for at least 48 hours before death. The warrant states it appeared Feniello was withholding food and water as punishment.

Feniello was arrested March 25 and posted $3,500, or 7 percent of her $50,000 bond. A judge ordered her not to possess any animals and to undergo mental health evaluation. Passion4PawsVT and other animal rescue groups have identified her as a multi-state offender with outstanding cruelty cases in New Hampshire and Vermont.

Smith noted the absence of any government registry for animal abusers at the state or federal level. Andrea Kerin, a volunteer with Desmond's Army Animal Law Advocates, said the delays are systemic. "Across the state, you can have 20 or more continuances on a case," Kerin said. "The system is slow and drawn out."

Statewide, animal cruelty cases jumped from 120 in 2023 to 164 in 2024, a nearly 37 percent increase, according to the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. Over the same period, incarcerations in cruelty cases fell from 13 to five, per a 2025 Desmond's Army report.

No next court date has been confirmed following the rearrest warrant. Anyone with information about animal cruelty in Greenwich can contact Greenwich Animal Control at 203-622-8299.