4 people arrested in New Berlin animal cruelty case involving over 100 animals

NEW BERLIN, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – Four people have been arrested and charged with a total of over 200 combined felony and misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty at a farm in New Berlin.

On April 26, 2024, the New York State Police, New York State Environmental Conservation, New York State Forest Rangers, New Berlin Police, Chenango County and Susquehanna SPCA, and the Office of Emergency Management executed a search warrant on a Clark Lane agricultural property and Pig Farm Lane in New Berlin.

Over two dozen animals were immediately located, and an additional 107 animals were subsequently found and removed from the property. The neglected animals included horses, pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, a llama, dogs and cats.

As part of the search, four people were arrested and charged with felonies and misdemeanors under the Agriculture and Markets Act. The names and charges are as follows:

Dominick Brown, 44 years old
9 cases of serious animal cruelty class “E”
95 cases of running over, torturing and injuring animals; Failure to provide adequate means of subsistence.

Jane Richards, 74 years old
9 counts of Class “E” Felony Aggravated Cruelty to Animals
87 counts of misdemeanor driving over, torturing and injuring animals; Failure to provide adequate means of subsistence.

Helen Goude, 56 years old
2 counts of Class “E” Felony Aggravated Cruelty to Animals
3 counts of driving over, torturing and injuring animals; Failure to provide adequate means of subsistence.

Katheriena Goude, 60 years old
2 counts of Class “E” Felony Aggravated Cruelty to Animals
3 counts of misdemeanor exaggeration, torturing and injuring animals; Failure to provide adequate nutrition.