Exeter Man Charged With Animal Cruelty

A 59-year-old Exeter man has been charged with animal cruelty after New York State Police at Richfield Springs, responded to a complaint at a residence on County Highway 22 in the town of Exeter on November 14.

According to New York State Police, Troopers, a UPS driver making a delivery had observed a dog whose left leg appeared to be missing and described it as “blown off”. The Susquehanna SPCA responded to the scene and a local veterinarian was contacted.

The dog, named Zoe was immediately taken to a clinic. Veterinarians believe the dog had chewed its own leg off.  The animal had been chained to a stake in the yard, living in a plastic pet carrier with a small amount of hay on the bottom and had no food and another bowl was frozen and snow covered. She also had previous untreated injuries and scarred ear tips. Zoe was ultimately transported to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine for further care. Since medical expenses are Zoe are expected to be near $5,000, the Susquehanna SPCA is accepting donations for her care.

The animal shelter posted the following Zoe update on their facebook page on Tuesday:

"Your positive thoughts/vibes/prayers are critical tonight and tomorrow. Zoe’s CT scan today at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine animal hospital revealed potential good news in that the very large mass on her shoulder and into her chest looks to be a fatty tumor and not cancerous. The bad news is this mass must be removed for her to survive and the surgeons describe the procedure scheduled for tomorrow to be palliative and dangerous. Her age, heart murmur and anemia are all very serious issues to be managed during a risky procedure. The risk is increased because removing the mass will involve navigating arteries. This chance to survive and live a peaceful life is made possible by the many caring people who have contributed to her care. Thank you so much. Folks looking to help with her care can contribute online at www.sqspca.org."

The owner of the dog, Carl K. Pritchard was arrested and charged with the Agriculture and Markets Law overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; failure to provide proper sustenance, and failure to provide appropriate shelter for dogs left outdoors.

Pritchard surrendered Zoe due to his inability to pay for any vet bills and he is due to appear in the town of Exeter court on December 4.