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Cobbleskill: Forty-Eight Dogs Live in Squalor and Die in Agony Because Authorities in N. Y. Make an Inadequate Response to Complaints of Chronic Barking

Schoharie Co., N.Y. woman facing animal abuse charges

From Capital News 9 - Written by Danielle Strauss - April 8, 2004

More than 45 dogs used to live inside the home of Cathleen Sullivan. Last week, state police in Cobleskill and the Fulton County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals discovered 15 of the animals dead and another 33 without food and water. Sullivan was not home at the time.

One neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, said he isn't surprised. He's complained about the noises and alleged abuse for more than a year.

"Dogs were barking all the time. And it was very annoying because this is a quiet area. After a while, I didn't pay attention to them because it was really upsetting me. So I just drove down the road and that's all," the neighbor said.

Sullivan was charged with failing to provide food and water to the animals, failing to dispose of dead animals, and not licensing her dogs. Investigators said they found a number of dead dogs in the freezer.

Mary Landry of the Fulton County SPCA said, "The animals that were living in filth without food and water. Some without shelter. We found dead animals inside and we found a dead animal outside."

Investigators said that Sullivan did not live at the residence permanently. She shuffled between the home and Catskills, and police said she did check on the animals periodically. Something that the SPCA said just wasn't enough.

"The smell just took your breath away. You couldn't breathe. It made you sick. It was the most horrible thing I've been through," Landry said.

The SPCA and the Schoharie Valley Shelter are caring for eight dogs. The SPCA said it's up to the judge to decide if the remaining dogs will also be removed. A court hearing scheduled for Thursday night was adjourned until April 15th.


This page is part of the Calamitous News,
which is a component of the Barking Dog News and barkingdogs.net