JAMESTOWN, NY — The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office and the Chautauqua County Humane Society announced a formal partnership Friday to expand animal cruelty enforcement, including a dedicated deputy assigned specifically to investigate those cases.
The announcement came days after Jamestown police arrested two people accused of beating a puppy.
On June 6, officers responded to Winsor Street for a report of two subjects beating a small puppy. Arthur Hubbard and Cheyanne Alcorn were each charged with Cruelty to Animals, a Class A Misdemeanor. Hubbard was held pending arraignment due to prior failures to appear. Alcorn was released with an Appearance Ticket after booking.
Sheriff Jim Quattrone said the volume and complexity of animal cruelty cases drove the decision to assign a dedicated deputy.
"These cases are complicated, and this is why we felt that we needed a dedicated deputy to handle animal cruelty. It's really needs some specialized training, and that's what we're doing with this, the current animal cruelty deputy," Quattrone said.
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Jane Babinsky, executive director of the Chautauqua County Humane Society, said the shelter's role in the partnership is significant and costly. "It is our duty, though, and our responsibility to the community, no matter what, to take care of these abused and neglected animals," Babinsky said.
"The bottom line is helping the innocent victims of abuse and neglect, and we are hopeful that the legal system does not fail the animals," Babinsky added.
The Humane Society serves as the designated housing and care provider for animals seized during investigations. Babinsky noted that cases involving large numbers of animals strain the shelter's limited space and resources, and that the shelter operates solely on donations and receives no special funding for the care of seized animals. Cases can last anywhere from one month to a year.
The shelter has plans to expand and renovate within the next three years, though Babinsky said it will likely still be too small.
State Sen. George Borrello and Assemblyman Andrew Molitor also spoke at the announcement.
"Animal cruelty is often viewed in isolation, but it has significant connections to broader criminal behavior," Molitor said.
"Doing this today is going to help put us on the right path, the right path to make sure that these animals are properly cared for," Borrello said.
Molitor also raised concerns about changes to Article 25C of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law that took effect at the end of 2025, saying the new regulations have placed unintended burdens on rural animal shelters, including increased paperwork, new regulatory costs and an increased risk of closure.
A free training hosted by Humane World for Animals is scheduled for July 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Quattrone said the training is open to law enforcement officers, shelter employees, code enforcement officers, dog control officers, judges and prosecutors.
Residents who suspect animal cruelty are encouraged to report it through the Chautauqua County Humane Society's website, or by calling the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 716-753-2132.
WATCH: Chautauqua County leaders announce expanded effort in combating animal cruelty
