NEW YORK -- Police in Orange County arrested a woman in Wallkill on Monday afternoon for animal cruelty after finding nearly 80 Rottweilers at her home.
Sylvia Panetta, 64, was arrested and charged after the situation was brought to the attention of police by a worker, possibly a utility worker or cable man, who was working near the Derby Road home, police told CBS 2.
Of the nearly 80 animals found, police said about 20 needed medical care and were immediately removed and brought to various shelters.
The remaining dogs were allowed to stay at the home — mostly in outside cages — for the time being as police continued their investigation.
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| Sylvia Panetta |
Panetta was released on her own recognizance and was allowed to return to her home. She is scheduled to appear back in court on May 29.
Police and volunteers were to remain on scene around the clock to monitor situation and make sure the dogs are being taken care of as they try to figure out what to do with all of them, police told CBS 2.
Kerry Clair, Director of Pets Alive, told CBS 2 that the first tip about conditions at the home came in about a month ago. She said her organization took in two of the animals that needed care immediately.
Three of the most seriously neglected animals were taken by Pets Alive and then to the animal hospital, 23 puppies were taken to Middletown Humane Society and five pregnant dogs were taken by Middletown Humane Society, Clair said.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The owner, 64-year-old Sylvia Panetta, was breeding the dogs and selling them online as Karousel Kennels, said police Chief Robert Hertman.
Police and animal rescue workers described dangerous conditions. The dogs were living in open pens, with igloo-style doghouses with dirty interiors. Some of the pens contained decaying wood palettes for the dogs to stand on when it rained, Hertman said.
"There's holes, there's pieces of wood with nails sticking out," said Jamie Gaebel of the Monticello-based Mountain Rottie Rescue. "A lot of the pens were falling apart."
Some of the animals were malnourished; rescue workers found bread in the food bowls, and the water was infested with insects. They described the dogs' many health problems.
Some are bow-legged, or have slight deformities that may be due to walking on the hard-packed earth in the pens all their lives. Some have tumors or visible injuries from wounds that were infected or that never healed properly. A few have more serious issues — one has a missing eye, and a couple of them had broken toes or injured limbs that had to be amputated.
(CBS Local - April 30, 2012)
