More than 100 animals seized from New Berlin farm

Apr. 30—Law enforcement officials seized more than 100 animals last week from an alleged animal cruelty situation in New Berlin.

With the help of the Chenango County and Susquehanna SPCAs, the various farm and domestic animals are receiving medical care.

State Police Troop C Public Information Officer Aga Dembinska said state police served a search warrant at properties on Clark Lane and Pig Farm Lane on Friday, April 26.

State police were joined by officials from the state Department of Environmental Conservation, state forest rangers, New Berlin police officers, the two SPCAs organizations and the Office of Emergency Management.

Stacie Haynes, SQSPCA executive director, said Tuesday, April 30 that the group found "a multitude of animals that were sick, suffering and in a lot of pain."

The seized animals included horses, pigs, sheep, goats, donkeys, a llama, a ram, a calf, dogs and cats.

More than two dozen animals were found dead, according to state police.

An additional 107 neglected animals were removed — a mini pony had to be euthanized, so 106 animals were taken in by the two SPCAs, Haynes said.

The New Berlin town highway department and Chenango County highway department assisted with traffic control so the animals could be removed safely.

It is still an active and ongoing investigation, state police said.

Farm search

Haynes said she received a call about 10 days ago from a person with serious concerns about the farm on Clark Lane and suspected animal cruelty.

"We encourage people to call us," Haynes said. "We can help them navigate through what they might see, or think is happening."

Haynes then contacted New York State Police.

"We were so fortunate that state police take this seriously," she said. "They did an excellent job, they responded right away."

Haynes and state police officials coordinated for a full week before going to the farm — finding livestock trailers and border collies to help round up sheep.

On Friday, the property search began at 6 a.m. There were about 30 law enforcement officers and other officials on the site, as well as about 25 staff and volunteers from the SQSPCA.

Haynes went to the site after state police radioed that it was safe to join them.

"It wasn't very hard to find animals that, in my opinion, were sick and suffering, and in some cases actively dying," she said.

The assembled group stayed at the scene until 6 p.m., finding more than a dozen dead animals.

"At one point, there were so many dead animals, an excavator was brought in to bury them," Haynes said.

Financial strain

The sheer number of animals that were seized means they are being cared for a multiple locations.

The Chenango County SPCA took in 21 cats, while the SQSPCA took possession of all the farm animals and dogs, one mother cat and her kittens.

The Daily Star has agreed not to disclose the location where the farm animals are being boarded because they have not been surrendered by the owner, who has has not been charged criminally.

Haynes said SQSPCA is providing 24/7 care — cleaning and grooming, hay, food and water, veterinary care — and that she hired a person full-time to care for the farm animals.

The situation has put a financial strain on the SQSPCA, even with donations from The Humane Society of the United States and the Community Foundation for South Central New York to purchase special equipment for the day of the rescue and aftercare.

"When law enforcement are the only people who can take action on animal cruelty, they don't have built into the budget money to pay for animals once they're seized," she said. "It becomes a big hurdle for organizations like ours."

Patrick McLaughlin, Chenango County SPCA executive director, said Tuesday that since the situation first came to light with the Otsego County-based SQSPCA, that was the organization that took the lead.

Shortly afterward, Haynes called McLaughlin to explain what happened and keep him in the loop, he said.

"The Susquehanna SPCA has much more experience with animal cruelty cases and seizures," McLaughlin said, "especially large situations involving livestock. They have more resources to tap into."

McLaughlin was at the farm Friday with the Chenango County shelter manager and provided what assistance they could, he said.

Property owner

The property owner is listed in county land records as Jane M. Richards.

Attempts to contact Richards on Tuesday were unsuccessful.

The property was the longtime location of pig farm Sow Power II Farm, owned by Ronald M. Clark who died in July 2021 at age 78, according to his obituary in The Evening Sun, a Norwich newspaper.

Richards is listed in the obituary as his "longtime companion."

According to county land records, Richards owns the roughly 5-acre property where law enforcement seized the animals, which last changed hands in July 2023.

Richards and Cory Clark, Ronald Clark's son, co-own the adjoining 32 acres.

The SQSPCA is hosting a dog walk and free wellness clinic from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 4 in Neahwa Park in Oneonta.

Haynes said the fundraising event is also a push to get pets microchipped, which helps reunite lost and stray pets with their owners.

The SQSPCA is planning to offer free microchips as well as rabies and distemper vaccines.

"It should be a really fun day," Haynes said.

The event is rain or shine, with the clinic to be held under a pavilion if it rains.

To donate online, visit www.sqspca.org/support/#donate-to-sqspca.