Op-Ed: Putnam SPCA Announces Guilty Pleas In 2 Animal Cruelty Cases

The author is SPCA Chief Ken Ross.

The Putnam County SPCA announces two recent convictions of individuals previously
arrested by the Putnam County SPCA.

Caleb Shuk, a 19-year-old resident of the Town of Philipstown, who was arrested by the Putnam
County SPCA on May 4th, 2021 and charged with torturing and killing a bat resting against a
rock wall in the Sunken Mines Caves location of Putnam Valley. Shuk, using a large rock,
crushed the bat multiple times causing it extreme pain and ultimately its death – all while yelling
expletives about coronavirus and laughing. Shuk pled guilty to committing one (1) count of
animal cruelty, a class A misdemeanor and was sentenced to two (2) years probation.

Matthew Savinovich, a 27 year old resident of Millbrook Circle, Norwood, NJ, was arrested by
the Putnam County SPCA on 10/6//2021 for the killing of pets belonging to his ex-girlfriend
over the course of a year. The lengthy investigation ended with Savinovich surrendering to
officers of the Putnam County SPCA. Savinovich, a predicate felon with an extensive criminal
record, pled guilty to two (2) counts of Felony Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, one (1) count of
Misdemeanor Animal Cruelty, and one (1) count of Felony Attempted Burglary in the Second
Degree and faces a minimum of three (3) to seven (7) years in state prison.

This was an extremely difficult case in that there were no witnesses and time had passed
destroying any crime scene. Animal cruelty cases are typically difficult to begin with as our
victims do not speak.

The importance of these arrests and convictions is extremely important. People who abuse and kill animals become de-sensitized to taking a life. Studies show that people who kill animals will go on to commit crimes against humans. Also, these arrests and convictions show that in Putnam County, animal cruelty is taken seriously. I would like to thank the following agencies for their invaluable assistance; each agency may have been involved in one or both of the arrests: The Putnam County District Attorney’s Office, D.A. Investigator Jaemie Caban and A.D.A Nick Lastella; The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Investigator Paul Piazza and Investigator Matthew Shelters; the Town of Cold Spring Police Department, Officer In Charge Larry Burke and the NYS Dept. of Environmental Protection Police, Officer Matthew Thibodeau. The Putnam County Probation Department, Probation Officer Amy Dehais, Probation Officer Dianne Norris. Also, the other police agencies who helped our investigations: Ossining Police Department, Peekskill Police Department, Norwood, NJ Police Department, Hackensack, NJ Police Department, Fair Lawn, NJ Police Department and the Northvale, NJ Police Department. It speaks volumes when all these agencies work together to solve crimes against animals.

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Putnam County SPCA 24 Hour Hotline – 845-520-6915
Website – www.spcaputnam.org
The Putnam County SPCA is a 501(c)3 not for profit corporation which receives no
funding from the ASPCA, New York State, or the federal government. Our mission is to
prevent cruelty to all animals by enforcing the NYS cruelty statutes by our countywide humane
law enforcement department, providing medical care and shelter to abused animals and
providing Humane Education to schools and other interested groups. Given law enforcement
powers by the State of New York, the Putnam County SPCA responds to calls of suspected
animal cruelty throughout Putnam County.