A Canine Gem owner has pending appearance in court

PLATTSBURGH — The case for Hilary A. Davis, operator of animal rescue A Canine Gem in Beekmantown, which 49 dogs were seized from in February due to poor conditions police had said, continues to make its way through the court system.

Beekmantown Justice Court Clerk Kerri Conroy said Thursday that Davis' case had been moved from Town Court to Clinton County Court earlier this month.

District Attorney Andrew Wylie said that she does have a pending appearance in Clinton County Court but did not specify when that date would be.

As previously reported by the Press-Republican, Davis, 57, was charged with three counts of animal cruelty, all misdemeanors; one count of false advertising, a misdemeanor; and one count of first-degree scheme to defraud, a felony, in Beekmantown Justice Court in May.

Davis, represented by defense attorney Nicholas Evanovich of LaMarche Safranko Law in Plattsburgh, had pleaded not guilty to all charges and was released on her own recognizance.

In March, Davis was also charged with four counts of second-degree forgery, class D felonies; two counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument, also class D felonies; and 48 counts of torturing or injuring animals/failure to provide sustenance, class A misdemeanors.

The charges stem from her mistreatment of dozens of dogs at her animal rescue facility, A Canine Gem, at 30 Ashley Road in Beekmantown, police had said.

After receiving complaints about the condition of the dogs at that location, the Clinton County Sheriff's Department seized 49 of them Feb. 26.

Following the seizure, the dogs were temporarily housed at the Clinton County Jail in a cell pod that was not being used for inmates while they recovered from a variety of health issues. At least two dogs had to be put down.