WESTFIELD — A Westfield man, who authorities say admitted to drowning a pregnant cat in July 2024, was in district court Wednesday for pretrial hearings on three unrelated cases.
Donald C. Heenan, who remains in jail without bail until at least Feb. 25, would be allowed to be released on personal recognizance in two of the cases, while posting bail on the third, according to court documents.
Heenan, 69, of George Street, was indicted by a Hampden County Superior Court grand jury in November 2024 for felony animal cruelty and animal death by drowning after police say he admitted to and showing one of the city’s animal control officers and a police officer how and where he drowned a pregnant cat he caught in a trap.
One of the reasons he gave the officers for drowning the cat was that “thanks to the [Police Department]” he had his FID revoked and didn’t have a weapon to shoot it, according to a report of the incident written by Officer Andrew Cekovsky.
When arraigned in district court on the cruelty charges in August 2024, he was released on personal recognizance with several conditions, including surrendering Problem Animal Control Agent licenses he held at the time.
Before being indicted, Heenan had three cases before district court, one involving a domestic dispute and the two others on weapons-related charges that led to his FID being revoked and his firearms confiscated, according to court records.
In May 2021, he was arrested and charged with assault and battery on a family member, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, resisting arrest, and assault and battery attempting to disarm a police officer, which was later amended to assault and battery on a police officer, according to court records.
In that incident, it was alleged Heenan kicked the victim, injuring her hand, before locking her out of the residence they shared. When officers arrived and got inside, Heenan charged them, grabbed one, and then swiped his hand at the officer’s duty gear, dislodging a baton and pepper spray, according to a police report submitted to the court to justify the charges.
He then latched on to another officer’s duty belt, reaching for his firearm, not releasing his grip for several minutes, according to the report.
As a result of those charges, a week later, he was ordered to turn over his firearms licenses, which he didn’t do, and a warrant for his arrest was issued, according to a police report.
His license to carry permit had been revoked, and he was ordered to turn over all registered firearms to the police, according to the police report.
Officers caught up with Heenan at his George Street residence the next day and served him with the arrest warrant and warrant to search his residence while he was standing in his driveway.
He didn’t turn them over immediately and went inside his residence, barricaded the door, and stopped talking to the officers, according to the police report of the incident.
The officers left to deescalate the situation and returned six days later to execute the search warrant, where they found a rifle, an old shotgun, and over a hundred rounds of ammunition. A handgun registered to him was not found.
Heenan was described by officers as “difficult.”
On the domestic assault and battery charges, the commonwealth disposed of them with a “nolle prosequi,” which is Latin for “not wishing to prosecute,” but the charges can be refiled.
They were after he was arrested on the animal cruelty charges in August 2024.
As for the weapons charges, the case was ongoing. He was not in custody but placed on pretrial probation.
Those charges were also refiled after the cruelty arrest.
Those two cases remained in district court.
After being indicted in November 2024, he was again released on personal recognizance.
Then on Oct. 24, 2025, he was arrested for assault and battery and disorderly conduct.
According to police, he assaulted a teenager — punched him in the back for riding his bicycle on the sidewalk — and resisted when the responding officer was placing him under arrest.
The same day those charges were filed, he was taken into custody and ordered held for 90 days without bail. He’ll be eligible for release on Feb. 25.
On Wednesday in district court, for the domestic assault and battery charges and weapons-related charges, the judge said he could be released on personal recognizance if released.
On the assault and battery charge involving the teenager, the judge ruled he could be released after posting a $500, which was posted as a surety bond.
Motions to dismiss those three have been filed in district court, which will be heard on Feb. 25.
