Maryland Dairyman
Faces Misdemeanors
After 25 Cows Starve
By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
TOWN OF MARYLAND – A farmer was arrested and charged with torturing and failing to provide sustenance to 25 cows who were found dead on his farm last week.
Dale E. Putman Jr., 69, of Maryland, was arrested after the Otsego County Sheriff’s deputies were called to his farm for a complaint of possible dead animals.
Upon arrival, deputies could allegedly smell the odor of dead animals from the barn, and during the course of the investigation, allegedly located 20 dead cows in various states of decomposition inside the barn.
In addition, deputies allegedly found four additional dead cows in the fields, and one cow was in poor health from from giving birth to a calf and had to be euthanized.
The Sheriff’s Office was helped at the scene by Leatherstocking Veterinary Group and the Susquehanna SPCA, and 17 remaining cattle were taken in by local farmers for safe keeping until the end of the investigation and court proceedings.
Putman was charged with six counts of Overdriving, torturing and injuring animals: failure to provide proper sustenance, a Class A Misdemeanor under the state’s Agriculture and Markets law. He was issued an appearance ticket for the Town of Maryland Court and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date.
In reality the farmer with the dead cows was probably financially unable to feed them. It’s sad so many farmer are going under because of failed agricultural policies, why dont you do a story on the dairy farmers who commit suicide each day ,because they work 16 hours a day and are worse off than an illegal immigrant .This is a black eye for the USA instead of spending our money on foreign countrys,let’s support the people who are producing our food
Well said Joe Violanti