PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WCAX) – An animal abuser with a history on both sides of Lake Champlain is back behind bars after violating the terms of a plea deal– twice.
Advocates say it’s cases like these that show the need for a statewide animal abuse registry in New York.
“It’s very frustrating to see, see it go this way,” said Becky Patnode, the shelter manager at the Elmore SPCA, reacting to the parole violation by animal abuser Hilary Davis.
WCAX first reported on Davis seven years ago, while investigating a complaint about “A Canine Gem,” when the shelter was in Winooski.
Davis then moved it to Beekmantown, New York, where the shelter was shuttered in 2024 after allegations of animal abuse. At the time, police seized 49 dogs.
Davis ultimately took a plea deal barring her from having any additional dogs or cats outside of her companion pets. The Clinton County District Attorney’s Office says she violated those terms twice this year, most recently in July, when prosecutors say she rented a trailer in Essex County and kept eight dogs locked up for 12 hours a day.
“You always hope that when you have these cases that finally you will see some justice for the animals. So, it is really unfortunate to see it’s gone this way,” Patnode said.
Patnode says while it’s frustrating, she isn’t surprised Davis was able to get her hands on more dogs, despite her criminal history.
“New York State laws are notoriously weak and hard to enforce, so I am not surprised to see this has happened again,” Patnode said.
Cases like Davis’ have led to reform calls in Albany, where Assemblyman Michael Cashman says he’s attached to a bill that would create a statewide registry for animal abusers. But that registry would apply to official businesses, like shelters, and potentially not private sellers.
“It is a little bit more difficult when you are buying a private sale, but I think the registry or clearinghouse that would allow for that would be a tool by which it would help address these issues,” said Cashman, D-N.Y. 115th District.
The Clinton County District Attorney’s Office has not yet responded to questions from WCAX about where Davis obtained the eight dogs.
Davis will remain behind bars until her next court appearance on Aug. 20.
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