NEW CITY – The president of Hi-Tor Animal Center, Inc., has been indicted by a Rockland County grand jury on one count of offering a false instrument for filing and 17 counts of falsifying business records.
It is alleged that Debbie Dibernardo, 51, directed the entry of animal records into the business records of the shelter related to 17 animals. As part of her submission of animal documentation to the Rockland County Department of Health, as required by the county contract, she allegedly filed an animal intake voucher containing false information, a crime, as well as a violation of her duty within the county contract.
“This indictment is a culmination of an extensive investigation into the Hi-Tor Animal Shelter as a result of public concern,” said District Attorney Thomas Walsh, II. “Many of us have cats and dogs as pets, that become loved members of our families. It is a sad day for Rockland County when an individual who is entrusted with overseeing shelter operations and providing vital services to animals in desperate need stands accused of violating the public’s trust. Members of the community should have confidence that their tax dollars and donations are going directly to assist animals in the shelter,”
Dibernardo was arraigned and released on her own recognizance pending future court action.
