Arrest Over Emaciated Wandering Pit Bulls

CARMEL, NY — The Putnam County SPCA announces the arrest of Tammy M. Williams, of Sunset Boulevard, Carmel, in relation to the three severely emaciated Pit Bull breed dogs found abandoned on Tinker Hill Road in Putnam Valley March 2.

Williams faces three counts of animal abandonment and three counts of animal cruelty in relation to this case. Williams will be arraigned in Putnam Valley court on May 19 and Carmel Court May 12.

Over the past month, officers of the Putnam County SPCA conducted numerous interviews with associates of Williams.

The dogs, a brown/white male, a brown/ white female, and a brindle/dark brown female — all mid-aged to older — were brought to the Carmel Animal Hospital where they were examined on March 2. All three were rated 1’s on the Body Condition Score (1 being severely emaciated / 5 being normal / 9 being obese).

After extensive veterinary care, all three dogs are doing much better now and are in foster care.

"We would like to thank the Carmel Animal Hospital for their care and expertise in treating these dogs who were in such need," Putnam County SPCA Chief Ken Ross said. "We would also like to thank the Putnam County SPCA Dog Control Officer Mary Madsen who recognized the severe nature of the dogs’ emaciation and brought the dogs immediately to Carmel Animal Hospital."

Putnam SPCA officials said the public was generous with donations towards the medical care of the dogs.

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Carmel Police Department, the Kent Police Department, and the Putnam County Probation Department assisted in this investigation.

"The conditions the dogs were found in and the circumstances of their abandonment required a team approach – from the PCSPCA DCO Mary Madsen recognizing the severe condition the dogs were in, to the expertise of Carmel Animal Hospital’s care and the assistance of the Sheriff’s Department, Carmel Police, Kent Police and PC Probation in providing help in locating the suspect, made the arrest of the individual currently charged in the alleged commission of the crimes possible," Ross said.