Jail Time, Fines for Wallkill Breeder with 70 Rottweilers

A woman who had more than 70 Rottweilers on her property, many in terrible physical shape, has been sentenced in Orange County.

Dog breeder Sylvia Panetta, 67, of Wallkill, was sentenced Sept. 3 in connection with her improper treatment of numerous dogs on her property, for which she had earlier been convicted by a jury.

“We owe a special duty to dogs,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler in a prepared statement. “They have lived beside us for millennia, been our protectors, our coworkers, our companions. Those who abuse dogs, or any animal, for that matter, or neglect the care that they need, deserve to be punished under the law. It’s encouraging to see that a measure of justice has been served by a jail sentence in such an egregious case as this.”

Here are the details from the DA:

Middletown City Judge Steven W. Brockett sentenced Panetta to concurrent ninety-day sentences on each of eight counts of Animal Cruelty, concurrent thirty-day sentences on each of four counts under the Town of Wallkill Code related to providing dogs with inadequate veterinary care, and separate fines totaling over $2,700.00 on 55 counts related to her inadequately sheltering the dogs. Panetta was also ordered to register with the Orange County Animal Abuse Registry, and is expected to be ordered to pay restitution to several humane agencies, following a hearing scheduled to be held on Sept. 21.

The jury had convicted Panetta as a result of her care of a number of dogs on her Town of Wallkill property in March, 2012. A contractor doing work on the property became concerned about the welfare of Panetta and the elderly man living with her. After the contractor contacted authorities, Wallkill Police found more than 70 Rottweilers living on the property, some with untreated injuries, and many living outside without adequate shelter. Police, with the assistance of various local humane associations, executed a search warrant at the property and removed the dogs. Some of the dogs were euthanized, but most were given veterinary care and placed in other homes.

For their assistance in the investigation and prosecution of the case, District Attorney Hoovler thanked the Town of Wallkill Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Empire Rottie Rescue, Mountain Rottie Rescue, the Middletown Humane Society, the Goshen Humane Society, the Warwick Valley Humane Society, and Paws Unlimited, among other agencies.

District Attorney Hoovler commended Assistant District Attorneys Michael Purcell and Eric Parker for their work in the prosecution of the case. In addition, District Attorney Hoovler thanked Executive Assistant District Attorney Andrew Kass and Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Schulz for their assistance.