GREENE – The ruling of a Greene judge places doubt on the ownership of 76 dogs seized by Sheriff’s deputies in October.

Town of Greene Justice Dante Acunto, who was assigned to the Steven W. Fong case after Oxford Town Justice John Weidman recused himself last month, ruled Friday that the dogs were still under “the control of the court,” and should be in the custody of the Chenango County Sheriff’s Department.

The order attempts to vacate a ruling issued by Weidman which placed ownership of the dogs with the Chenango County SPCA. Weidman’s decision had already been tested once by Attorney Scott Clippinger, when he sought a stay from the state’s highest court. In that instance, Supreme Court Judge Kevin M. Dowd upheld Weidman’s decision.

Acunto’s ruling was met with consternation by Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride, who plans to handle the case personally from this point forward.

“Such an order causes havoc with ownership,” McBride said. “The judge is without the authority to vacate an order issued by another judge which granted title of the dogs to the SPCA.”