A Geneva couple has been charged with animal abandonment following an investigation into a stray dog found wandering in Phelps this summer.
On August 12, the Ontario County Humane Society and Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a 2- to 3-year-old female red Pitbull named Ivy walking on Johnson Road. Over the next ten days, residents reported sightings of Ivy in the surrounding area, including County Roads 6 and 23 and McIvor Road. Several community members assisted in tracking her, and she was eventually captured in a humane trap.
Ivy was taken to the Happy Tails Animal Shelter, where a veterinarian determined she was at least 20 pounds underweight. She remained under the care of shelter staff while the investigation continued.
Authorities later determined that 36-year-old Michael Russell and 34-year-old LaToyia Soler had abandoned Ivy because they were moving and could not take her with them. They reportedly did not attempt to rehome her successfully or retrieve her from the shelter after learning where she was.
Soler and Russell were formally charged with animal abandonment on Sunday and are scheduled to appear in Hopewell Town Court at a later date. Ivy is recovering at the shelter and will be available for adoption once medically cleared.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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