Brant, N.Y. (WBEN) - A couple in the Town of Brant will serve jail time, and will no longer be able to own of have custody of any animals after being sentenced Monday night in an animal cruelty case last November.
Bonnie George, 75, and Donald George, 78, were sentenced in Evans Town Court, where Donald was sentenced to 30 days in jail, two years’ probation and $2,500 in restitution to the SPCA Serving Erie County. As for Bonnie, she was sentenced to 15 days in jail and two years’ probation.
As a condition of their sentence, the court imposed a lifetime securing order that prohibits the defendants from owning, harboring, or having custody or control of any animals.
An investigation into the couple began after a dog control officer contacted the SPCA Serving Erie County after receiving an anonymous complaint about animals living in unsafe conditions in the Town of Brant.
A short time later on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, SPCA investigators conducted an inspection at the defendants’ farm on Brant Farnham Road, where they observed neglected animals and unsanitary conditions.
A day later, SPCA investigators executed a search warrant at the property and seized a total of 216 animals. The defendants failed to provide necessary food, water and care to the majority of their farm and domestic animals, which included 119 goats, 47 chickens, 18 ducks and geese, 11 cats, six sheep and six dogs. The animals were found in unsanitary conditions without proper access to food and water.
Investigators also found multiple deceased animals on the property, which included goats, deer and fowl.
A Brant Town Court judge ordered the surviving animals to be forfeited to the custody of the SPCA Serving Erie County.
During the investigation, the defendants intentionally obstructed the administration of law and prevented a public servant from performing an official function. SPCA investigators observed two horses on the property during their initial inspection on Nov. 19, 2025. When the search warrant was executed the following day, the horses were no longer on the property. The defendants refused to provide information on their location, which prevented investigators from performing a health and welfare check.
The horses have never been located.
In June 2026, both Donald and Bonnie George each entered a guilty plea to two counts of Overdriving, Torturing and Injuring Animals; Failure to Provide Proper Sustenance (Class A misdemeanor under New York State Agriculture and Markets Law).
