Horse neglected by veterinarian - Greenwich, NY

Friday, Sep 30, 2005

County: Washington

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Acquitted

Person of Interest: Ronald J Peters, DVM

Case Updates: 4 update(s) available

A Greenwich veterinarian who was accused of neglecting a thoroughbred horse he owned has been indicted by a Washington County grand jury.

Dr. Ronald Peters faces a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty that accuses him of failing to provide proper food and medical care for a horse that is a granddaughter of the legendary race horse Seattle Slew. The horse was one of two that an Argyle horse rescue group, Double L Stable Equine Rescue, purchased from Peters in October 2005 after receiving complaints they weren't being property cared for. The other was its foal, both of which officials said were significantly underweight. The older horse was also suffering from serious foot problems. Shannon Hahn, whose family operates the horse rescue organization, said earlier this month that both horses were now doing well.

The Washington County district attorney's office had the case presented to a grand jury to have it heard in County Court, which typically handles felony cases.

The indictment is Peters' second in County Court in six years. He was convicted of misdemeanor counts that he falsely billed the town of Greenwich to dispose of stray dogs when he simply dumped them off the side of a rural road. Peters was put on probation in Washington County Court in that case, and the state Office of Professional Discipline also put him on probation for 2 years.

He also was accused of running an unlicensed pet crematorium in 2000, but prosecutors decided not to file charges in that case because of his conviction in the 1999 case and his pledge to discontinue using the crematorium. Washington County First Assistant District Attorney Kevin Kortright said his office had not decided what sentence to seek in the latest case. But he said he believed Peters' ability to practice medicine should be affected if he is convicted. "I would hope this would have some sort of effect," he said.

Peters would not discuss the case when reached by phone at his office. Later, Peters stopped by the offices of The Post-Star to drop off three Christmas cards, each with a different photo of a horse on it, along with several typewritten statements. He said he did not want to discuss the case and that he just wanted to leave the cards and printed material, which included a story about a cold, starving horse named "Hope," who was found in a snowbank and nursed back to health by his veterinary practice. There were also references to other horses that he and his staff have aided. Peters used a yellow highlighter pen to stress two paragraphs he wrote regarding "responsible journalism" and "irresponsible journalism."

Case Updates

A state appeals court has overturned the animal cruelty conviction a Greenwich veterinarian received after he was accused of neglecting two horses. The Appellate Division of state Supreme Court found that there was insufficient evidence for Dr. Ronald Peters to have been convicted of the misdemeanor animal cruelty count. The court overturned the conviction and dismissed the charge, finding it was "against the weight of the evidence." Peters, who operates a veterinary practice on Route 40, said on Friday that he was happy to learn of the court's decision but lamented what he had been through. "Life certainly has been difficult," he said. "In the end, it will certainly make us stronger." Peters was found guilty of neglecting two horses - a mare and her foal - in June 2006, nine months after he sold the horses to an acquaintance who was concerned about their welfare. He was sentenced to 3 years on probation and 300 hours of community service. The conviction, though, set into motion a chain of events that ultimately saw Peters convicted of another misdemeanor and sentenced to 4 weekends in Warren County Jail. The state Office of Professional Discipline suspended his veterinary license for nine months, but during that period - in May 2008 - he was charged with six felony and misdemeanor charges that accused him of continuing to provide veterinary care. He ultimately pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and was sentenced to 4 weekends in jail and 3 years on probation. In a five-page decision released Thursday, the Appellate Division found that, "While there was ample, troubling evidence - including photographic evidence - of defendant's failure to provide food or drink to the mare, there was minimal evidence that he neglected the foal," Justice Thomas Mercure wrote. "Defendant presented several witnesses that testified that the foal was in good condition, appeared healthy and was observed consuming food and water after weaning." The Washington County District Attorney's Office's own expert witness testified, "I would not consider the foal to be mismanaged," Mercure pointed out. Peters was represented on appeal by lawyer John Casey, of Troy.

Source: poststar.com - Dec 11, 2010 Update posted on Dec 11, 2010 - 6:11PM

A horse that apparently caused a car crash on Route 40 Thursday night belongs to a veterinarian who has been guilty twice of animal cruelty-related charges, police said Friday. A car carrying an Argyle couple collided with the horse at 10 p.m. Thursday. Washington County sheriff's deputies said the horse escaped from the farm where veterinarian Ron Peters lives. Peters has not been charged in the car accident, but District Attorney Kevin Kortright said the vet could be held liable in civil court. The horse was killed and the passenger of the car, Sherry Smith of Miller Road, was unconscious at the scene and flown to Albany Medical Center Hospital. The driver of the 1994 Mercury Cougar, Peter McIntyre, also of Miller Road, was sent to Glens Falls Hospital with possible broken bones. Neither hospital would release a condition on the victims Friday. Peters was found guilty in 1999 of forgery and larceny and in 2005 of cruelty to animals. In the first case, Peters dumped the body of at least one dog on the side of the road instead of cremating it as he had been paid $25 to do after he removed the head and sent it to a state lab for rabies testing. Two years ago, a jury found Peters guilty of allowing a granddaughter of Seattle Slew to suffer in his care. The judge granted the vet a conditional discharge. Peters could not be reached for comment.

Source: Times-Union - Sept 15, 2007 Update posted on Sep 18, 2007 - 1:35PM

The Greenwich veterinarian accused of neglecting two thoroughbred horses he owned was sentenced to 300 hours of community service and three years probation in Washington County Court on Tuesday. Washington County Judge Philip Berke passed on sending Dr. Ronald Peters to jail, telling the veterinarian that in the future he cannot mistreat any animal whether through neglect or intention. Washington County District Attorney Kevin Kortright asked for Peters to be given 60 days in jail and three years probation. Peters could have been sentenced to a year in Washington County Jail. In June, a jury found Peters guilty of failing to provide proper food and medical care to the mare and her young foal. He had been charged with a misdemeanor of animal cruelty. Peters said he was relieved by the sentence, saying the judge did a fair job. He said he did not agree with the verdict, and will file an appeal through his attorney, Joseph Oswald. Peters is still licensed as a veterinarian.

Source: The Post-Star - July 11, 2006 Update posted on Jul 13, 2006 - 10:59AM

A Washington County veterinarian, charged with neglecting a horse that is a granddaughter of the legendary racehorse Seattle Slew, has been convicted of animal cruelty. After deliberating less than an hour, a Washington County jury found Dr. Ronald Peters of Greenwich guilty for failing to provide proper food and medical care to the mare and her foal. The mare was one of two that had been purchased from Peters in October by an animal rescue group after they had received complaints that Peters wasn't properly caring for the animals. Both the mare and the foal are now reportedly doing well. During the three-day trial, Peters testified that the horse was in poor shape when he bought it and that he had been trying to nurse it back to health, statements that the prior owner disputed. Peters faces up to a year in jail when sentenced and could lose his veterinarian's license. In 1999, Peters was convicted of several misdemeanors for falsely billing the town of Greenwich for disposing of stray dogs. Instead of proper disposal, Peters dumped them on the side of a road. He had been placed on probation in that case and was also under probation by the state Office of Professional Discipline for two years.

Source: North Country Gazette - June 3, 2006 Update posted on Jun 7, 2006 - 9:32PM

References

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