Woman In Starving Dogs Case Charged Under Putnam Cruelty Registry Law

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — In March of 2020, three severely emaciated dogs were found wandering on Tinker Hill Road in Putnam Valley.

The dogs needed extensive treatment at Carmel Animal Hospital before going into foster care.

A month later, the Putnam County SPCA announced the arrest of Tammy M. Williams of Carmel, after investigation and collaboration with the Sheriff’s Department, Carmel Police, Kent Police and Putnam County Probation.

Williams was convicted on three counts of animal abandonment and received a sentence of probation in 2021. She was also placed on the Putnam County Animal Cruelty Registry, which is part of the Putnam County Code.

She then moved out of state.

However, the SPCA, as it was doing its annual check of offenders on the registry, learned last week that the 46-year-old had moved back to Putnam in 2023 but not filed her new address.

"We were checking compliance with annual reporting and asked Probation if they were dealing with her — and she was scheduled to begin probation as required in her outcome for an unrelated crime in Kent," Ken Ross, Chief of the Putnam County SPCA, told Patch.

A Putnam County SPCA detective met with Williams at the Putnam County Probation Department and charged her with a violation under Chapter 115 of the county's Animal Protection Law. Williams will be arraigned on the violation at the Town of Kent Justice Court on Jan. 31.

The dogs were adopted to good homes and are healthy, Ross said Tuesday, sharing before-and-after photos:

Putnam County SPCA officials remind everyone that any individual, group, or shelter adopting, selling, or giving an animal to another person must check the registry before the transaction to ensure no person on the registry is attempting to obtain an animal. People on the registry must
ensure that they are in compliance with the county's Animal Protection Law.

Putnam County SPCA 24 Hour Hotline – 845-520-6915
Website – www.spcaputnam.org