KINGSTON – A Woodstock man was sentenced to three years of probation in connection with his 2019 conviction by a Town of Olive jury for 18 counts of failure to provide proper sustenance to animals.
The Ulster County SPCA had responded to complaints of animal neglect beginning in April 2016 and following new complaints, a search warrant was executed at the home of Ben Gary Treistman, 58, of Woodstock.
That’s where officials seized 18 ducks, all in poor health. Injuries included bumblefoot, and several of the birds had large holes in their feet, likely from nails that were sticking up inside the duck pen.
Many ducks were also covered in feces.
In addition to the probation sentence, Treistman may not acquire any additional domestic or livestock animals and was fined $50 for each of the 18 neglected ducks.
He will also be registered on the Ulster County Animal Abuse Registry.
