A Shortsville man is facing multiple charges after allegedly abandoning his dog at the Ontario County Humane Society, then later calling 911 to claim someone else had dropped her off.
Authorities say last Thursday morning, Timothy Gardiner, Junior, brought a female German Shepherd to the shelter, claiming the dog had wandered into his yard and wouldn’t leave. He signed paperwork turning her in as a found dog. However, a microchip scan identified the dog, a 10-month-old named Luna, as registered to Gardiner, who was notified by the chip company.
Later that evening, Gardiner called Ontario County 911, claiming someone else had taken his dog to the shelter. When questioned, he admitted that he had left the dog because she had shown aggression toward his grandchildren, but he had tried to get her back after his girlfriend noticed she was missing.
Gardiner was charged with falsely reporting an incident, making a punishable false written statement, and animal abandonment — all misdemeanors. He was issued appearance tickets for both Hopewell and Manchester town courts.
Luna remains in good health at the shelter.
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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