Fong hearing postponed
GREENE – A hearing scheduled in the case of the 56-year-old Brooklyn man from whom 76 Pomeranians were seized by Chenango County Sheriff’s Deputies has been postponed.
Steven W. Fong was scheduled to appear at 4 p.m. Thursday before Town of Greene Justice Dante Acunto. No reason has been given for the postponement, and a new appearance date has yet to be announced.
Fong made headlines in October when the Pomeranians were found in a double-wide trailer he owned at 145 Williams Road in Oxford. The animals had been living under conditions described as “horrific” by Chenango SPCA Executive Director Carol Hedlund, whose agency assisted the Sheriff’s Department in the rescue.
The remains of 38 deceased dogs were also removed from the property at the time.
The animal cruelty case originally fell under the jurisdiction of Town of Oxford Judge John Weidman. Acunto was assigned the Fong case in December after Weidman recused himself.
Acunto made waves in the case almost immediately, first calling into question ownership of the dogs, which had become the property of the Chenango County SPCA in November as a result of a decision made by Weidman in a separate civil proceeding. Many of the dogs had already been adopted out at the time of Acunto’s ruling. The Greene judge has since denied a request by Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride to revisit the issue.
On Jan. 12. Acunto issued another ruling, dismissing 77 of the 116 misdemeanor charges against Fong. The charges dropped were 76 counts of failure to provide for an impounded animal under Agriculture and Markets law, and one count of false impersonation for misrepresenting his address and birthdate to deputies during the initial investigation.
Fong still faces 39 counts of animal cruelty, 38 for the deceased animals and one for the 76 living dogs.
Steven W. Fong was scheduled to appear at 4 p.m. Thursday before Town of Greene Justice Dante Acunto. No reason has been given for the postponement, and a new appearance date has yet to be announced.
Fong made headlines in October when the Pomeranians were found in a double-wide trailer he owned at 145 Williams Road in Oxford. The animals had been living under conditions described as “horrific” by Chenango SPCA Executive Director Carol Hedlund, whose agency assisted the Sheriff’s Department in the rescue.
The remains of 38 deceased dogs were also removed from the property at the time.
The animal cruelty case originally fell under the jurisdiction of Town of Oxford Judge John Weidman. Acunto was assigned the Fong case in December after Weidman recused himself.
Acunto made waves in the case almost immediately, first calling into question ownership of the dogs, which had become the property of the Chenango County SPCA in November as a result of a decision made by Weidman in a separate civil proceeding. Many of the dogs had already been adopted out at the time of Acunto’s ruling. The Greene judge has since denied a request by Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride to revisit the issue.
On Jan. 12. Acunto issued another ruling, dismissing 77 of the 116 misdemeanor charges against Fong. The charges dropped were 76 counts of failure to provide for an impounded animal under Agriculture and Markets law, and one count of false impersonation for misrepresenting his address and birthdate to deputies during the initial investigation.
Fong still faces 39 counts of animal cruelty, 38 for the deceased animals and one for the 76 living dogs.
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