Charles W. McKinney was ordered never to own another pet after pleading guilty to animal cruelty, but Washington County sheriff's deputies say he already broke that promise. McKinney was charged with second-degree criminal contempt, a misdemeanor, on October 18 for allegedly having a cat at his Whitehall home despite the court-ordered 50-year ban on possessing animals.
The new charge came after McKinney had been sentenced to four months in jail and released on the animal-abuse charge, according to NYVT Media. McKinney had pleaded guilty to torturing or injuring an animal or failing to provide sustenance. The dossier gives conflicting ages for McKinney: NYVT Media reported he was 83 years old when sentenced, while My NBC5 identified him as 81 when he surrendered to police on October 10.
McKinney was convicted under New York's Agriculture and Markets Law on the misdemeanor animal-abuse charge, the article notes. He reportedly told Town Justice Dennis Johnson that the 50-year prohibition was unnecessarily long given his age, an argument that apparently did not stop the court from imposing it.
Son and Co-Defendant Also Sentenced
McKinney was not alone in the case. His son, Christopher McKinney, also pleaded guilty to the same animal-abuse charge and was sentenced to five months in jail, with a 50-year order barring him from having animals as well, according to the same account. Christopher McKinney remains in jail and is scheduled to be released next month.
A third defendant, Jessica L. Austin, pleaded guilty to the same charge and was placed on probation rather than jail time, also facing a 50-year ban on having animals. She reportedly no longer lives on the property where the animals were kept, per the report.
Authorities seized multiple animals from a property owned by Charles McKinney and his son on U.S. Route 4, with the three defendants accused of abusing 10 dogs, 20 cats and a Canada goose. My NBC5 reported that New York State Police received a complaint on June 12 about numerous animals that appeared neglected and in need of veterinary care at a property on State Route 40 — though the NYVT Media account describes an initial seizure of two dogs and one cat, with the remaining animals seized later; the two reports differ on the exact seizure dates.
Complaints Kept Coming In
Jesse Neddo received several complaints that Charles McKinney again had animals on the property after his conviction, and turned those complaints over to town animal control officer Kathy Hall, according to the NYVT Media report. Hall did not immediately respond to a request for comment, the outlet noted.
My NBC5 reported that Jessica Austin, Christopher McKinney and Charles McKinney surrendered at the state police barracks in Granville on October 10, and that all three were scheduled to appear in Whitehall Town Court on Monday, October 27. New York State Police investigated the underlying animal-abuse case that led to the convictions.
Advocates Watched the Earlier Case Closely
Animal welfare advocates picketed outside Whitehall town and village court back in May during the earlier animal-abuse proceedings, and the article suggests they may return now that Charles McKinney has been arrested again over the alleged pet-ban violation.
Court-ordered bans on future animal ownership are not unique to this case. New York law allows courts to bar a convicted person from owning, harboring or controlling animals for whatever duration a judge deems reasonable, according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund. As of 2024, roughly 40 states had similar laws on the books, and the most common restriction nationally runs just five years, according to the Animal Legal & Historical Center; a handful of states, including Maine, Michigan and Washington, allow courts to impose permanent bans.
A similar scenario has played out elsewhere in the Capital Region. In Gansevoort, Vanessa French was arrested and charged with criminal contempt after investigators said she kept a pet cat despite a judge's order prohibiting her from owning any animals, according to CBS6 Albany. French had originally been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals after allegedly scalding a dog with a chemical, causing serious burns and infection, and a dog and two cats were removed from her home at the time. The Saratoga County Sheriff's Office said French was arrested on a Monday and charged with criminal contempt, mirroring the allegation now facing Charles McKinney in Whitehall.
