Cape Cod woman facing 15 counts of animal cruelty after 3 die from stabbing, 12 others found deceased

A Cape Cod woman is facing several charges after a disturbing find.

According to police, on Tuesday, the Harwich Police Department received a complaint about neglected sheep at Chatham Road. The person who made the complaint said that, in addition to the sheep, there appeared to be some dead animals at the address. Harwich Police Animal Control Officer Jennifer Harrington and Detective Paul Ulrich went to the house to investigate the complaint.

Upon arrival, they met with the person living in the house who was identified as Meredith Viprino. Virpino was advised of why the police were present and that they wanted to check on the sheep. Viprino told officers that she had killed the sheep earlier in the morning by stabbing them in the throat.

Officers went to the barn that was on the property and found that two sheep had stab wounds to their throats and were deceased. The third sheep had sustained a wound to the throat but was still alive. That goat would eventually have to be euthanized by a veterinarian due to its poor condition.

Police say that the conditions in the barn were deplorable and there was a lack of food and water. Further investigation revealed an additional 12 dead animal carcasses in the barn that were in varying forms of decomposition.

Virpino was placed under arrest and taken to the Harwich Police Department where she was later released on $500 cash bail. Virpino was arraigned in Orleans District Court on 15 counts of Cruelty to an Animal.