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TASK FORCE TO START TRAINING OFFICERS

Animal Cruelty Task Force

Meets, Renames Self PETS

The county's new Animal Cruelty Task Force, renamed PETS, met today, comprising, from left, District Attorney John Muehl, county Sheriff Richard J. Devlin, Jr., Susquehanna SPCA Executive Director Stacie Haynes Christine Schneider of Leatherstocking Veterinary Group, SSPCA Vet Tech Sara Haddad,  and Joan Puritz of Oneonta Veterinary Clinic. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)

By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

SSPCA's Haynes believes that education is the key to preventing animal cruelty.

COOPERSTOWN – PETS, Stacie Haynes said, are the county’s tools for combating animal cruelty.

“PETS stands for Prevention, Education, Training and Systems,” said Haynes, Susquehanna SPCA executive director. “That is the new name we have given the Animal Cruelty Task Force.”

The group, which formed in February, met this morning at the county Sheriff’s Department offices to agree on goals.

Most cases of animal cruelty, said Haynes, are people who find themselves overwhelmed. “They’re not intentionally torturing an animal, they just end up in unfortunate circumstances.”

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