Dutchess Man Accused Of Abandoning Dogs In Putnam County: SPCA

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — A Wappingers Falls man was accused of abandoning two dogs in Lake Carmel by the Putnam County SPCA.

On Thursday, the Putnam County SPCA received a phone call from Town of Kent Dog Control Officer Mary Madsen, who had taken custody of two dachshund-mix dogs Wednesday from a good Samaritan who found them on Longfellow Drive in the Lake Carmel area.

DCO Madsen had also been told that the dogs belonged to a resident of Wappingers Falls.

The information was forwarded to the Putnam County SPCA Law Enforcement Division. After a short investigation, as well as additional information provided by the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, SPCA detectives identified Leo Gioia, 64.

SPCA Chief Ken Ross said they learned Gioia had tried to drop off the dogs at the Putnam Humane Society because he was being evicted, and was sent back to Dutchess County. The animal control officer and the humane society called the SPCA enforcement division, which contacted the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office during its investigation.

"The whole thing comes down to networking with everybody you can," Ross told Patch.

As the case goes through the courts, the dogs will remain in the custody of the town of Kent, which has a contract with an animal guardian.

"The dogs are in good hands," Ross said.

Gioia faces two counts of animal abandonment, a misdemeanor crime with the possibility of one year in jail, a fine of $1000, or a combination of both.

Putnam County SPCA 24 Hour Hotline – 845-520-6915