OXFORD – At 4:21 p.m. Wednesday, the Chenango County SPCA become the official owner of 76 Pomeranians and one pit bull, but only temporarily.

Pursuant to a decision handed down last week by Oxford Town Justice John Weidman, the dogs’ owner, Steven W. Fong, would have forfeited his rights to the animals when he failed to post a cash bond in the amount of $65,465 with the court by the 4:20 p.m. deadline.

“Mr. Fong was unable to raise the sixty-five thousand dollars. However, he has, for the time-being, retained ownership of the dogs,” stated Attorney Scott Clippinger, who has been retained as legal counsel by Fong.

SPCA Executive Director Carol Hedlund and one of the non-profit organization’s board members, Courtney Sullivan, waited out the deadline with Oxford Town Justice John Weidman. They were unaware that a last-minute decision by the New York Supreme Court had put the transfer of ownership of the dogs on hold.

“[The] Supreme Court granted a temporary stay of the decision of Judge Weidman pending a hearing and the resolution of challenges to the decision,” said Clippinger. “The stay leaves the ownership of the dogs with Mr. Fong.”

Clippinger also reported that a notice of appeal of the civil decision has been filed as well as a motion to dismiss the criminal charges against Fong.