No charges against animal shelter leader | News

SCHENECTADY- The police department and Animal Protective Foundation were at odds over who should handle dogs left at the Schenectady Police Station. Monday, NewsChannel 13 learned police will not take action against the APF leader who left them.

The APF was very happy that no charges were filed and they said the charges did not make sense anyway.

On Saturday, two four-month-old pit bull puppies were dropped off at the Animal Protective Foundation in Glenville. The shelter leader, Rosalie Ault, says they couldn't care for them. So she took the puppies to the Schenectady Police Station and left them there, even though the station refused to take the dogs.

Marguerite Pearson of the APF said that they could not take the dogs because they did not have any room and because the dogs were sick with an illness that could have been contagious.

“We didn’t really feel that charges were warranted but we are very glad that they will not be doing any charges,” said Pearson. “We are very optimistic that now there’s going to be better communication and we are really going to work to resolve these issues so that we can do better by the animals in Schenectady County. They deserve it.”

The SPCA says leaving the animals with police is abandonment, but the APF says the animals were ill and in that case, according to their current agreement with the city of Schenectady, the dogs are supposed to go to the police.

Monday afternoon police said no charges will be brought against Ault. The puppies are now being cared for by a local vet in Glenville.

Representatives of the police and APF are planning to meet in the near future to discuss how the two sides can work together on matters involving the care and custody of dogs.