Archive: News

Charges were filed with the Caroline Town Court yesterday in connection with the January 27th seizure of 100 animals from a Brooktondale trailer home.  39 counts of Overdriving, Torturing and Injuring Animals; Failure to Provide Proper Sustenance in violation of Section 353 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York, a class A misdemeanor, were filed against each resident of 18 Creamery Road in Brooktondale.

Courtney Cotter and Kevin Pierce were also each charged with 39 counts of Failure to provide proper food and drink to impounded animals in violation of Section 356 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York, an unclassified misdemeanor.

An arraignment has not yet been scheduled in Caroline Town Court.  The SPCA of Tompkins County has incurred over $30,000 in expenses associated with boarding the animals, providing veterinary care and medicine and in increased staffing costs.

Microchips in several of the animals have led investigators to background information about some of the animals, where they came from and how they were obtained by the defendants.  One dog has been returned to the rescue group that she came from and one cat was returned to foster parents in Pennsylvania.  Four other micro-chipped animals have been identified; two were registered to Ms. Cotter, one to a dog that came from Florida, and one that cannot be traced.

Since February 4, 2010 seven cats, one rat, eleven dogs and three chinchillas that were included in the 59 animals signed over to the SPCA on January 29th have been adopted.  Twelve of the remaining cats are currently being treated by the SPCA’s veterinarian and are not yet available, two are being evaluated for behavior, nine are currently available for adoption and five cats are being held pending the outcome of the case.  Five guinea pigs are in foster care under suspicion of being pregnant, one guinea pig in foster care is recovering from a medical condition and one rat is available for adoption from foster care. One of the remaining dogs is currently being evaluated for behavior, one dog is currently available for adoption and two others are recovering in foster care and will be available in a few days.  One of the available dogs is being transferred to breed rescue and the 33 additional dogs continue to be cared for by the SPCA pending the outcome of the case.

The SPCA received many donations of food and supplies to help take care of the animals involved in this case.  Currently, their greatest need is financial contributions to help cover the increase medical and staffing costs.

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