PETS, the name of the Otsego County Animal Cruelty Task Force, stands for Prevention, Education, Training and Systems. The Task Force formed in February of 2019 and is a collaboration of the Susquehanna SPCA, the Otsego County Sheriff’s Department, the District Attorney’s Office, Leatherstocking Veterinary Group, and Oneonta Veterinary Hospital. The goal of PETS is to prevent and combat animal cruelty in Otsego County through education and empowerment of law enforcement and the general public. PETS’ goals are: putting together training for law enforcement; networking with other animal protection agencies; and establishing a standardized system of reporting suspected animal cruelty. Click here to report animal cruelty, or call (607) 547-8111 and follow the prompts.

PETS in the news:

SQSPCA, law enforcement work together to rescue cat. Most days, the staff of the Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SQSPCA) works on premises, caring for and finding homes for abandoned, surrendered, and seized cats and dogs. Every now and then, though, the need arises to come to the rescue of an animal off site, as was the case on Thursday, June 13. Read full article.

Dead cows found on Maryland farm. Local officials are investigating the deaths of dozens of cows at a farm in the town of Maryland, near Cooperstown Junction. Read full article.

PETS task force’s first case: rescue pigs from Pittsfield farm. It was a scene Stacie Haynes has seen play out before. Read full article.

Animal cruelty task force meets, renames self PETS. PETS, Stacie Haynes said, are the county’s tools for combating animal cruelty. Read full article.

New animal cruelty force to hold first meeting. The new Otsego County Animal Cruelty Task Force will convene for the first time Thursday, May 9, near Cooperstown. Read full article.

Task force tackles growing animal cruelty problem in Otsego County. The Susquehanna SPCA is working with the District Attorney and law enforcement agencies to deal with the growing problem of animal abuse. Susquehanna SPCA Executive Director Stacie Haynes explains the mission. Read full article.

SPCA, sheriff, district attorney form animal cruelty task force. The Susquehanna SPCA will partner with the Otsego County Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney’s office to look at creating a task force dedicated to combating animal cruelty in the county. Read full article.