The Suffolk County SPCA announced that Kathi Willi, 59, and William Melton, 52, of Ridge were arrested and charged with violations of Agriculture and Markets Law section 355, Animal Abandonment, a misdemeanor.
Roy Gross, Chief of the Suffolk County SPCA, said that on July 5, 2021, the SPCA was contacted by a rescue group. A subsequent investigation by SPCA detectives led to the arrest of the subjects who were charged with 30 counts of abandonment of the domestic rabbits in a wooded area in Calverton.
Both Willi and Melton are scheduled to appear for arraignment of on July 30, 2021 in First District Court, Central Islip.
The SPCA would like to thank the Rabbit Rescue Groups for their intensive search both day and night. Several rabbits were found deceased and the live rabbits are presently being cared for by the rescue groups.
Chief Gross said that animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Suffolk County. If you witness any incident of animal cruelty or neglect in Suffolk County, please contact the Suffolk County SPCA at (631) 382-7722.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.