Billerica

Woman tortured caged dog with shock collar in Billerica, police say

Animal control officers took Amanda Cianciulli's four dogs to be examined by a veterinarian, and they remained in the veterinarian's care Saturday, police say

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Videos show a woman engaging in animal cruelty by abusing a dog in Billerica, Massachusetts, police said Saturday, announcing her arrest.

The woman, Amanda Cianciulli, could be seen using a shock collar to torture a caged dog and hitting it with an object while holding it down, according to Billerica police.

Cianciulli, of Centerville, was arrested Friday on two counts of animal cruelty, police said.

Investigators were made aware of the videos, taken early this year at a Billerica home, on Monday, police said. The dog was allegedly in Cianciulli's custody at the time.

With her agreement, animal control officers took Cianciulli's four dogs to be examined by a veterinarian, and they remained in the veterinarian's care Saturday, police said.

Cianciulli was due to face a judge in Lowell District Court on Monday, police said. It wasn't immediately clear if she had an attorney who could speak to the charge.

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