Broome Sheriff & NYS Attorney General Announce Animals Seized

New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and the Broome County Sheriff's Office say 11 animals have been seized following a complaint of suspected animal neglect in the Town of Sanford.

The Attorney General's Office received a complaint about possible neglected animals on Hawkins Road in March and a joint investigation by the D.A., Sheriff's Office, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Broome County Humane Society and Broome County District Attorney's office produced a search warrant.

April 12, officers entered the property and found four sheep and  a donkey in a pen next to the driveway, two cats in a cage in the house and four foxes in a pen with no water in the back yard.  The animals were suffering from diseases and parasites.

Property owner, 39 year old John Elmer of Binghamton did not have the proper permits to own the foxes, one that had lice and another that was emaciated and authorities also found the carcasses of two goats that had died months earlier in the barn.

Elmer is charged with seven counts of failure to provide proper sustenance and two counts of failure to provide proper food, drink and wholesome air to an impounded animal.

The domestic animals were taken to an undisclosed location until the case is resolved and the foxes were removed to a wildlife center.

Sheriff David Harder notes that this year the Broome County Legislature passed a resolution authorizing the Sheriff's Office to manage an animal abuser registry.  Any person convicted on an animal-related offense will pay a fine and have their name and photograph added to the registry where it will remain for 15 years.