By JON BAKER

LINCOLN — Just after noon on Thursday, police arrested Todd J. Compton, 43, of 54 Jewett St., Providence, on a misdemeanor charge of unnecessary cruelty to an animal.

In this particular case, a horse named Sadie, apparently co-owned by Compton and his sister, was euthanized due to a severe infection in its right front leg. Dr. E.J. Finocchio, president of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in East Providence, put down the horse at its boarding location, 1026 Great Road, on Dec. 23.
“First and foremost, Mr. Compton is innocent until proven guilty,” Finocchio said Monday afternoon. “These are allegations right now. (On Dec. 23), I examined the horse, and — in my professional opinion — I found her to be suffering inhumanely. After discussing the matter with Mr. Compton, and the history I extrapolated from him, we decided the most humane thing to do was put it down.
“The horse had a serious, life-threatening infection in its right foot that had been there, I believe, over three weeks,” he added. “The hoof was basically necrotic; the horse couldn’t put any weight on it.”
Finocchio also stated that, after studying the injury, it had been caused by an object that had penetrated the hoof area.
“It was most likely caused by a penetrating wound; it could’ve been a nail, another metallic object or a piece of wood,” he noted. “I found a chronic infection oozing from multiple areas on the foot …
I’ve seen hundreds of penetrating wounds to the feet of horses, as I have been a horse veterinarian in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut for 37 years now. When such wounds are treated rapidly and properly, the great majority recover uneventfully. A small percentage may have a chronic lameness which is compatible to their well-being, and very few — a fraction of a percent — must be euthanized. Those would have occurred due to acute, catastrophic injuries.
“This animal had reached the point of no return. There was no treatment we could have adminstered to the animal (to save it).
“If it proves to be Mr. Compton failed to provide the proper care for the animal after suffering such an injury, and it continued to fester the way it did … one must be held to the full extent of the written law,” he added. “It’s not only what you do for an animal, but also what you don’t do. It’s my professional opinion that Mr. Compton failed to offer the right care for the well-being of his horse.
“A person who fails to provide for an animal in an instance like this is as guilty as one who fails to provide nutritional care or proper shelter. Again, in my opinion, ignorance is not a defense of the law while caring for a pet or a child or whatever.”
Two days before Christmas, Police Sgt. Joseph Conti responded to the Great Road site for an animal cruelty complaint, and met with David Holden, RISPCA director, and Finocchio. Both explained to the officer they wanted police present because they were going to conduct a euthanization. In his report, Conti claimed he spoke with Compton, who admitted he was responsible for the day-to-day care of Sadie.
Ten days later, on Jan. 2, Holden hand-delivered to headquarters a final investigation report completed by the RISPCA, and both Holden and Finocchio recommended Compton be criminally charged for animal cruelty. The horse’s age was not determined.
On Jan. 8, Conti delivered to Compton, who was at 1026 Great Road, a summons to appear at Sixth District Court in Providence on Jan. 30. Compton stated he understood, and would be at the court as ordered.